Hispid Hare

Hispid Hare[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Caprolagus
Blyth, 1845
Species: C. hispidus
Binomial name
Caprolagus hispidus
(Pearson), 1839
Hispid Hare range

The Hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus, also called Assam rabbit is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, the habitat of hispid hares is highly fragmented with an area of occupancy of less than 500 km2 (190 sq mi) extending over an estimated area of 5,000 to 20,000 km2 (1,900 to 7,700 sq mi). Populations experience a continuing decline in suitable habitat due to increasing agriculture, flood control, and human development.[2]

Contents

Characteristics

The hispid hare has a harsh and bristle coat. Ears are very short and not projecting beyond the fur.[3] The coat is dark brown on the back due to a mixture of black and brown hairs; brown on the chest and whitish on the abdomen. The tail is brown and about 30 mm (1.2 in) long. In body weight males range from 1,810 to 2,610 g (4.0 to 5.8 lb) with a mean of 2,248 g (4.96 lb). Females weigh in average 2,518 g (5.55 lb), including a heavily pregnant female weighing 3,210 g (7.1 lb) in this statistical mean weight.[4]

Frontal bones are very wide. Occipito-nasal length generally exceeds 85 mm (3.3 in). There is no clear notch in front of postorbital processes.[5]

In average, it is 476 mm (18.7 in) long from head to tail.[6]

Distribution and habitat

The historic range of hispid hares extended from Uttar Pradesh through southern Nepal, the northern region of West Bengal to Assam and into Bangladesh. Today, distribution is sporadic in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and possibly Bhutan. They occupy tracts of early successional tall grasslands and take refuge in marshy areas or grasses adjacent to river banks during the dry season, when these areas are susceptible to burning.[4]

The population in the extensive grasslands of Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve may be of international significance.[7] Researchers camera trapped the first hispid hares in an area of 38 km2 (15 sq mi) in the reserve in April 2010.[8]

Ecology

Hispid hares are most active at dawn and dusk. The limited information available on reproduction indicates that their average litter size is small.[4]

References

  1. ^ Hoffman, Robert S.; Smith, Andrew T. (16 November 2005). "Order Lagomorpha (pp. 185-211". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=13500098. 
  2. ^ a b Maheswaran, G. Smith, A.T. (2011). "Caprolagus hispidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/3833. 
  3. ^ Pearson, J. T. (1839) Lepis hispidus. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, part VII: 152.
  4. ^ a b c Bell, D. J., Oliver, W. L. R., Ghose, R. K. (1990) Chapter 9: The Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus. In: Chapman, J. A., Flux, J. E. C. (eds.) Rabbits, hares and pikas: status survey and conservation action plan. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland. Pages 128–137.
  5. ^ Ellerman, J. R., Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1966) Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals 1758 to 1946. Second edition. British Museum of Natural History, London. Page 424.
  6. ^ Macdonald, D. W. (2009). The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press,. ISBN 0199567999. 
  7. ^ Baral, H.S., Inskipp, C. (2009) The Birds of Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Our Nature (2009) 7: 56–81.
  8. ^ Aryal, A., Yadav, H. K. (2010) First Cameras Trap Sighting of Critically Endangered Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus) in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve - Nepal. World Applied Sciences Journal 9 (4): 367–371.

External links