Africa is home to a diverse range of rabbit and hare species, each adapted to its unique environment. This article explores the distribution and characteristics of several notable species found across the continent.
Bunyoro Rabbit (Poelagus marjorita)
The Bunyoro rabbit, also known as the Uganda grass hare, is a medium-sized, greyish-brown furred, nocturnal, plant-eating rabbit found in central Africa. It is the only member of the genus Poelagus. First described by British mammalogist Jane St. Leger in 1929 as a member of the hares, the Bunyoro rabbit was placed within its own genus in 1932 after specimens were examined in detail with relation to other leporids.
The original description of the rabbit was from a specimen that was part of a collection of mammals sent to the British Museum from the Protectorate of Uganda by Charles Pitman, the game warden. The type locality of the original specimen is "Near Masindi, Bunyoro, Uganda" at an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,200 m). This species was described as "common on the roads at night", "strongly resembl[ing] the Indian Caprolagus", and of "unusually crisp fur" and "short ears".
Bunyoro Rabbit, Poelagus marjorita
Taxonomy and Phylogeny
The Bunyoro rabbit was first properly described in 1929 as Lepus marjorita or the "grass hare" by Jane St. Leger. Four years earlier, it was misidentified by Geoffrey Douglas Hale Carpenter, who discovered a colony of the species and assumed them to be the feral descendants of European rabbits introduced to the region by Emin Pasha.
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The Bunyoro rabbit's closest phylogenetic relations appear to be with the red rock hares (Pronolagus). Poelagus and Pronolagus were once thought to be congeneric, but are now considered part of a clade with Nesolagus.
Physical Characteristics
Poelagus marjorita has a head and body length of about 400 to 605 millimetres (15.7 to 23.8 in) and a weight of 2.26 to 3.17 kilograms (5.0 to 7.0 lb). Both the hind legs and ears are shorter than in other African species, and the coat is coarser. The general body colour is greyish-brown and the tail is yellowish above and white beneath. From the chest to the lower abdomen, a white stripe is visible that widens as it progresses downwards towards the hind limbs.
Fur under the body, chin and throat is white, the soles of the feet are covered in whitish to grey fur, and the ear colour is similar to that of the rabbit's back. Rufous fur can be seen on the nuchal patch between the ears down to the base of the neck. The Bunyoro rabbit has morphological features that resemble both rabbits and hares.
Distribution and Habitat
The Bunyoro rabbit is native to Central Africa. It occurs in various habitats: stony outcrops, woodland savannah, and hilly regions with short grasses. The Bunyoro rabbit is nocturnal, hiding alone during the day in a form (a shallow depression in the ground) among dense vegetation or a hole among rocks, and coming out to feed as part of a group at night.
Diet and Behavior
Its diet consists of grasses and flowering plants. It prefers the succulent young shoots that sprout from the ground after land has been cleared or burned, and tends towards pastures that are already grazed by larger mammals. When living in proximity to cultivated land, it feeds on rice and peanut plants.
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Reproduction
Breeding seems to occur at any time of year, as indicated by records of newborn and juvenile rabbits in January, February, March, May, June, August, and October.
Conservation Status
The population trend of the Bunyoro rabbit is believed to be stable and it is common in some parts of its range. The animal is hunted in Uganda using dogs and nets, and while it occurs in some protected areas, such as Garamba National Park, there are no particular protective measures that apply to the species.
African Savanna Hare (Lepus victoriae)
The African savanna hare (Lepus victoriae) is a mammal species in the family Leporidae, native to Africa. It is native to diverse regions and habitats of Africa, including savannas and the Sahel.
African Savanna Hare, Lepus victoriae
Physical Characteristics
The African savanna hare is a medium-sized species growing to a length of between 41 and 58 cm (16 and 23 in) with a weight of between 1.5 and 3 kilograms (3.3 and 6.6 lb). The ears have black tips, the dorsal surface of head and body is greyish-brown, the flanks and limbs are reddish-brown and the underparts are white. The general colouring is richer in tone than other hares, especially in mountain regions where the hares are a rather darker shade. The tail is black above and white below.
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Behavior and Diet
African savanna hares are solitary, nocturnal animals. They rely on camouflage to stay hidden, but can run at up to 70 kilometres (43 mi) an hour and sometimes leap vigorously sideways to break the scent trail they are leaving. They feed mainly on grasses and herbs but also chew roots, shoots and bark and sometimes eat fallen fruit and occasionally fungi.
Reproduction
The breeding behaviour of African savanna hares has been little studied. They seem to reproduce at any time of year and the female gives birth to several litters during the year. The young are born in the open and able to run soon after birth. The mother seems to separate them and visits each one at intervals to allow them to suckle.
Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis)
The Critically Endangered Riverine Rabbit is regarded as one of Africa’s most endangered mammals, threatened predominantly by habitat transformation across the Karoo, resulting in a limited geographical distribution and seemingly small population size.
Riverine Rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis
Distribution and Habitat
The species is known from two populations: one in the Nama Karoo, where it was first discovered near Richmond in 1902, and one near Touwsriver in the Succulent Karoo, where the second population was discovered in 2003. However, more recently in 2018, yet another, third population of these rabbits was discovered (through the correct identification of a roadkill specimen) just west of the Baviaanskloof, approximately 250 kilometres east of the known distribution.
The Riverine Rabbit is endemic to the semi-arid central Karoo region of South Africa (estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) is 54,227 km² and area of occupancy (AOO) is 2,943 km²). It is associated with the dense, discontinuous vegetation fringing the seasonal rivers. It is the only indigenous burrowing rabbit in Africa, and is dependent on soft and deep alluvial soils along the river courses for constructing stable breeding stops.
Physical Characteristics
The riverine rabbit stands out with its unique physical appearance. It has a dense, silky coat, usually brown or dark gray in color, with a distinctive cream or white-colored ring around each eye and a black stripe running from the corner of the mouth to the cheek.
Reproduction
One of the most intriguing aspects of the riverine rabbit’s biology is its reproductive strategy. It is known for having a very low reproductive rate, typically giving birth to only one kitten per year. This is unusual among rabbits and contributes to their vulnerability and the difficulty in increasing population numbers.
Conservation Status and Threats
Recent population estimates of 157-207 mature individuals indicate an alarmingly small species population size, with no subpopulation having > 50 mature individuals. The current assessment suggests that the Riverine Rabbit should remain listed as Critically Endangered due to its inferred small population size and inferred continuing decline from habitat loss and degradation, including ongoing loss of mature individuals.
Both populations face significant threats from ongoing habitat degradation and fragmentation due to detrimental land-use practices and new emerging habitat-transforming land uses, such as climate change and energy development (Ahlmann et al. 2000). Other threats to the species include hunting (hunted for sport and for bushmeat by farm workers), and accidental mortality in traps set for ‘pest’ animals on farmlands.
Conservation Efforts
The Drylands Conservation Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT-DCP) was established in August 2003 and coordinates all conservation efforts on the Riverine Rabbit and its habitat. The programme aims to conserve the biodiversity of the Karoo region, to encourage private landowners to participate in conservation stewardship and to promote integrated land management practices that can sustain the Riverine Rabbit, its habitat and many other species while providing employment for communities and facilitating ecosystem restoration on landowners’ farms.
Current projects include: Riparian habitat restoration and establishing alternative livelihoods.
Genetic Diversity of Domesticated Rabbits in Kenya
A study was conducted to evaluate the origin, genetic diversity, and population structure of domesticated rabbits in Kenya. A 263-base pair region of mtDNA D-loop region of 111 rabbits sampled from various regions of Kenya were analyzed. The results suggested that the Kenyan domesticated rabbits may have originated from Europe.
The average haplotype (0.40702) and nucleotide (0.01494) diversities observed were low, indicating low genetic diversity of domesticated rabbits in Kenya. Integration of exotic breeds into breeding programmes could have contributed to the low genetic diversity. These results provide useful information for breeding and conservation decisions by the relevant stakeholders in the agriculture industry in Kenya.
Methodology
Local and exotic rabbits were sampled from farmers practicing backyard small-scale rabbit farming in Kenya. Rabbits between 6 months and 5 years old, a male and a female whenever possible were sampled from each homestead.
A 263-base pair region of mtDNA D-loop region, flanking the tRNA-Pro gene control region was amplified using specific primers. The amplicons were purified, and their concentrations were measured and sent for sequencing.
Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) among and within the populations revealed a significant genetic differentiation among and within the studied regions, suggesting a significant genetic difference in the studied populations and the incorporated haplotypes.
This study has revealed rare haplotypes that can be conserved to be exploited in future breeding strategies.
| Region | Number of Rabbits Sampled | Number of Haplotypes | Nucleotide Diversity | Haplotype Diversity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makueni | Sample Size Here | 2 | 0.00577 | 0.16667 |
| Vihiga | Sample Size Here | Sample Haplotypes | 0.02041 | 0.66667 |
| Machakos | Sample Size Here | 4 | Sample Nucleotide Diversity | Sample Haplotype Diversity |
| Nyandarua | Sample Size Here | 4 | Sample Nucleotide Diversity | Sample Haplotype Diversity |
| Kitui | Sample Size Here | 2 | Sample Nucleotide Diversity | Sample Haplotype Diversity |
| Bungoma | Sample Size Here | Sample Haplotypes | Sample Nucleotide Diversity | Sample Haplotype Diversity |
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