Scrub hare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scrub hare |
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| Genus: |
Lepus
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| Species: |
saxatilis
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| Scrub hare range | |
The scrub hare (Lepus saxatilis) is a type of hare that lives in southern Africa. You can find them in countries like Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho. Even though they are not currently in danger, their numbers have been slowly going down. Scientists think their population might drop by 20% over the next 100 years.
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Description
Scrub hares have a special look. Their back fur is a mix of gray and black. It looks like a grizzled color with small black spots. Their belly fur is all white.
They have a short, fluffy tail. The top of the tail is black, and the bottom is white. A unique feature of the scrub hare is a patch of reddish-brown fur behind its ears. Their long ears usually stand up. They are gray and, along with the tail, are easy to see when the hare runs.
Scrub hares can be different sizes. Their body length is about 45 to 65 centimeters (18 to 26 inches). They can weigh from 1.5 to 4.5 kilograms (3.3 to 9.9 pounds). This wide range in size is because of where they live. Hares in southern areas are smaller. Those in northern areas are larger. Female scrub hares are usually bigger than males.
Geographic distribution
The scrub hare lives only in southern Africa. They are most often found in southern Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho. However, they have also been seen in other countries. These include southeast Ethiopia, southwest Mauritania, Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. You will not find scrub hares in the Namib desert.
Habitat
Scrub hares usually live in higher places. They are found at about 1,220 to 1,830 meters (4,000 to 6,000 feet) above sea level. They prefer areas with scrub bushes, tall grasslands, and savanna woodlands. At night, they might move into open grasslands.
They never live in thick forests or deserts. Scrub hares can also live in areas where people farm. They are found in both tropical and sub-tropical climates. This means they can live in temperatures from about 22 to 35 degrees Celsius (72 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit).
Ecosystem roles
Scrub hares play several roles in nature. When they dig small dents in the ground, they help mix the soil. These dents are called "forms." A form is a shallow hole where the hare lies down, fitting its body perfectly.
Scrub hares are also food for other animals. They are prey for many predators. They can also carry different types of fleas and lice. One common flea found on them is called Ctenocephalides felis damarensis.
Behavior
Scrub hares are mostly solitary animals. This means they live alone. Males and females only come together to mate. They are also nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They look for food after the sun goes down. If the sky is cloudy, they might come out earlier.
During the day, they make a small dent in the ground. They lie flat and still in this spot. Their ears are tucked back to their shoulders. As long as they stay still, predators often cannot see them. Their fur color helps them blend in with the plants and ground.
Diet
The scrub hare is a herbivore. This means it eats only plants. They mostly eat green grasses. When there is a drought and green grass is hard to find, they eat other things. They will eat leaves, stems, and rhizomes (underground stems) of grass. If food is still scarce, they will even eat the bark from shrubs to survive.
Reproduction
Scrub hares are polygynous. This means one male will mate with many females. When a female is ready to mate, many males will gather around her. To win her over, males often fight. They "box" with their front paws or kick with their back legs. Sometimes, the female can even get hurt during these fierce fights.
They can have babies all year long. However, their busiest breeding time is during the summer months, from September to February. The female carries her babies for about 42 days. She gives birth to 1 to 3 young hares, called 'leverets', at a time. A female can have up to 4 litters (groups of babies) each year. After a rainy season, females are more likely to have triplets. Males and females can start having babies when they are about 1 year old.
Parenting style
Mother hares do not spend much time raising their young. The baby hares are born with fur and their eyes open. They are developed enough to take care of themselves very quickly. We don't know exactly when they become fully independent. However, parents do not protect them or provide food for them. They also do not teach them how to survive. The young may suckle (drink milk) from their mother at night, but only for a few days.
Lifespan
Many scrub hares do not live past their first year. In the wild, these hares usually live for about 5 years. If they are kept in captivity, they have been known to live between 6 and 7 years.
Threats
Conservation status
Right now, the scrub hare is listed as an animal of "least concern." This means they are not in immediate danger. They are found across a wide area in southern Africa. However, their population is expected to drop by another 20% over the next 100 years.
Predation
The scrub hare has several known predators. One common predator is the side-striped jackal (Canis adustus). Another is the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). Other animals that hunt them include predatory birds and the caracal (Caracal caracal).
Scrub hares do not have many ways to defend themselves. Their best defense is their fur color. It helps them blend in with the rough ground. When a predator is near, the hare stays completely still. It hopes not to be seen. But at the very last moment, when the predator is close, the scrub hare uses its long back legs to jump and run away very fast. It runs in a zigzag pattern. This makes it harder for the predator to catch them. If caught, the hare makes a loud squeal. Its last defense is to kick or bite, but this usually does not work.
Human pressures
Human activities threaten scrub hares. Their homes are being broken up by habitat fragmentation. This happens when their natural areas are divided by farms, roads, or buildings. Commercial plantations and new developments also destroy their habitats. This leaves them exposed to predators.
Hunting is also a problem for scrub hares. Many local people hunt them for food. Sometimes, they even make gloves from the hare's soft, warm fur. In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, hunting has caused a clear drop in the scrub hare population.
