|
Jameson's red rock hare
Jameson's red rock hare (Pronolagus randensis) is a species of rabbit in the family Leporidae found in rocky habitats within Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique. It is a rufous and brown-furred nocturnal rabbit that is slightly smaller than the largest of the red rock hare species. Solitary in aspects other than breeding and grazing, Jameson's red rock hare feeds only at night, where it is occasionally seen in groups grazing upon grasses and fresh shoots. Little is known about its mating behavior, and its predators are similar to those of other red rock hares. It is classified as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), being abundant in the protected areas its distribution overlaps, but its population is decreasing. TaxonomyPronolagus randensis was first described by and named after Irish zoologist Henry Lyster Jameson in 1907 at Observatory Hill, now Johannesburg,[4] in what was at that time the Transvaal Colony. The specific name randensis is derived from the colloquial name, "the Rand", for the Witwatersrand area where the species' type specimen was described.[3] In 1971, there were ten listed subspecies, which decreased to nine in later descriptions;[5] by 2005, only 3 subspecies were recognized:[1]
P. randensis has a disjunct distribution, and the eastern population makes up the subspecies P. r. randensis, while the western population makes up P. r. caucinus.[6] P. r. whitei, first thought to be its own species of red rock hare found in parts of Zimbabwe and Mozambique,[7] was considered a subspecies of P. randensis in Waldo Meester's 1986 Classification of Southern African Mammals, wherein he speculated that P. randensis may actually only make up two subspecies, P. r. randensis and P. r. caucinus, despite listing nine.[6] Distribution and habitatPronolagus randensis has a disjunct distribution, with one population extending from southern Angola to western and central Namibia and the other occurring mainly in Zimbabwe, extending into South Africa, Botswana, and slightly into Mozambique.[8] Each population is separated by roughly 900 kilometres (560 mi) of land.[5] Jameson's red rock hare is found in rocky environments: kopjes, canyons, and cliffs. It occupies lower elevations than Hewitt's red rock hare. It is found in these rocky areas where grass or scrub is present, and though it rarely goes any distance from its chosen habitat,[6] P. randensis has been observed dispersing to adjacent habitats up to 22 km (14 mi) away when necessary.[8] CharacteristicsPronolagus randensis has a fine, silky fur which is grizzled rufous-brown on the upper parts of the body. It has a whitish chin and slightly lighter fur on the ventrum. The sides of the neck, lower jaw and cheeks are light grey in colour. It has a large reddish-brown, black tipped tail. The large ears are sparsely haired and sometimes are tipped with black. When fully grown, P. randensis can weigh from 1.82 to 2.95 kilograms (4.0 to 6.5 pounds). It is slightly smaller than the largest red rock hare, the Natal red rock hare (Pronolagus crassicaudatus).[8] ReproductionVery little is known about the breeding habits of Pronolagus randensis. Based on behavior observed in Zimbabwe, it is assumed that breeding occurs year around and females give birth to one to two young per litter. The species has 42 diploid chromosomes.[8] Behavior and ecology.jpg) Active by night, Pronolagus randensis remains in hiding during the day and is nocturnal, though it will emerge in the early morning from shelter to sun.[8] Solitary in habits, although it is sometimes seen in groups when grazing,[4] and also in congregations consisting of a female, her young, and one to two males. An oestrus female is often followed by courting males.[8] Jameson's red rock hare only feeds at night, when it is most active. It feeds on the vegetation in and around its habitat including grasses, and prefers eating fresh shoots following brush fires. If it cannot find grass within its rocky habitat, it will venture out into flat areas to forage, retreating back into rocky outcroppings afterwards or if startled.[8] It avoids eating some plants, such as Croton gratissimus and Indigofera filipes.[9] Like other leporids, it consumes its own cecotropes.[10] Known predators of Pronolagus randensis and red rock hares in general are Verreaux's eagle, Cape eagle-owls, and leopards.[8] Human interaction and impactJameson's red rock hare is listed as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its distribution overlaps with many national parks and protected areas, such as Matobo National Park. The species is protected in South Africa by nature conservation agencies through seasonal hunting regulations, as it is hunted for game and sport. The expansion of commercial plantations has contributed to habitat loss,[8] and as of 2019[update], the population of Pronolagus randensis appears to be decreasing.[2] References
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
