San José brush rabbit facts for kids
The San José brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani mansuetus) is a special kind of brush rabbit. It belongs to the rabbit and hare family, Leporidae. This rabbit is in great danger of disappearing forever, which means it is critically endangered.
Quick facts for kids San José brush rabbit |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Lagomorpha |
| Family: | Leporidae |
| Genus: | Sylvilagus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
S. b. mansuetus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Sylvilagus bachmani mansuetus Nelson, 1907
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| San Jose brush rabbit range | |
Contents
Where This Rabbit Lives
This unique rabbit lives only on San José Island. This island is about 170 km2 (66 sq mi) in size. It is a desert island located in the Gulf of California in Mexico. The island is quite close to the mainland, separated by a channel that is only 5–8 km (3.1–5.0 mi) wide.
The San José brush rabbit does not live all over the island. It can only be found in an area of about 20 km2 (8 sq mi). Scientists believe there are about 25 to 35 rabbits living in each square kilometer of this area.
What It Looks Like
The San José brush rabbit looks a bit different from its relatives. It has paler fur, which means it's lighter in color. Its ears are larger, and its skull is longer and narrower.
In winter, its fur is usually a dull yellow or yellow-grey, with short black tips on the hairs. The sides of its body are a pale grey, lighter than the fur on its back.
How It Lives
The San José brush rabbit often rests in the shade of trees on the island, like the Palo Verde tree.
These rabbits are most active during certain times of the day. They are crepuscular, which means they are busy from sunset until about 2 AM, and then again from 6 AM to 10 AM.
San José Island is home to many different types of mammals. The San José brush rabbit is often found in places where certain plants grow well. These plants include Fouquieria digueti, Jatropha cinerea, Pachicerus pringley, Opuntia cholla, B. microphylla, Simmondsia chinensis, Cercidium peninsulare, Stenocerus gummosus, Cyrtocarpa edulis, Esenbeckia flava, Lycium, and Olneya tesota.
The word mansuetus in the rabbit's scientific name comes from Latin and means "tame." This name was given because these rabbits can be approached quite closely.
Reproduction
These rabbits start to become ready to have babies in November.
Why This Rabbit Needs Help
The San José brush rabbit is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. This list helps track animals and plants that are at high risk of extinction. The last update for this rabbit was on May 31, 2016.
The main reason this rabbit is in so much danger is because of feral cats. These are cats that live in the wild and hunt the rabbits. Other problems include:
- Loss of their natural home (habitat)
- New buildings and human activities
- Rats, which can also harm the rabbits
- Illegal hunting, even though the rabbits are protected by Mexican law. Hunters sometimes target them while legally hunting other animals like goats.
All these issues have caused the number of San José brush rabbits to drop since 1995 and 1996.
To help save these rabbits, experts have suggested removing the feral cats from the island. They also recommend doing more research to understand the rabbits better and find the best ways to protect them.
See Also
- Fauna of Gulf of California islands
- Endemic fauna of Mexico
