According to Reynolds (1969), A. krapohliana used to be plentiful around Bitterfontein on the northern edge of the Knersvlakte, but by the 1980s, these had declined substantially. A field survey in 1985 failed to record any plants (Hilton-Taylor, unpublished notes), and the decline was ascribed to a combination of habitat loss to mining, overgrazing and illegal collection of wild plants.
However, more recently (2000-2016) at least fifteen extant subpopulations of this species have been recorded. Subpopulations are small, with field observations of 5-40 plants in 1-50 ha patches (N.A. Helme pers. comm. 2018). A continuing population decline is inferred from ongoing habitat loss to mining as well as succulent collecting. As reports of population declines are largely anecdotal, the population reduction within three generations can not be estimated.
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Cole, D.I. 2004. Impact of mining on the Knersvlakte flora - past, present and future. Aloe 41(2&3):40-44.
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Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. Red data list of southern African plants. Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Jeppe, B. 1969. South African Aloes. Purnell & Sons, Cape Town.
Klopper, R.R. and Smith, G.F. 2007. The genus Aloe (Asphodelaceae: Alooideae) in Namaqualand, South Africa. Haseltonia 13:38-51.
Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. Red List of South African Plants. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Reynolds, G.W. 1969. The Aloes of South Africa. A.A. Balkema, Cape Town.
Smith, G.F., Steyn, E.M.A., Victor, J.E., Crouch, N.R., Golding, J.S. and Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. Aloaceae: The conservation status of Aloe in South Africa: an updated synopsis. Bothalia 30(2):206-211.
Snijman, D.A. 2013. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 1996. Guide to the aloes of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
Van Wyk, B.-E. and Smith, G. 2003. Guide to aloes of South Africa. (2nd ed.). Briza Publications, Pretoria.
Victor, J.E. 2002. South Africa. In: J.S. Golding (ed), Southern African plant Red Data Lists. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 14 (pp. 93-120), SABONET, Pretoria.
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