Cape Hare
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Lepus capensis
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
1-5 years
Top speed
77
48
km/hmph
km/h mph 
Weight
4-5
8.8-11
kglbs
kg lbs 
Length
520-595
20.5-23.4
mminch
mm inch 

The Cape hare (Lepus capensis ), also called the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.

Appearance

Cape hares are typical hares in appearance. They have well-developed legs for leaping and running, and large eyes and ears to look for threats from their environment. Usually, a white ring surrounds their eye. These hares have a fine, soft coat which varies in colour from light brown to reddish to sandy grey. Females in this species are usually larger than males.

Video

Climate zones

Cape Hare habitat map

Habits and Lifestyle

Cape hares are solitary animals that are active during the night. They are very fast runners and can achieve speeds of up to 48 m/h (77km/h). These hares are also excellent swimmers and climbers. They can scan the area while lying down to rest with their large eyes that cover a field of 360 degrees. Cape hares close their eyes when they feel safe and take a nap. They rarely have a deep sleep and it usually lasts for more than 1 minute per day. If during a sleep they hear any sound or see the possible danger they will press close to the ground and freeze.

Group name
Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Cape hares are herbivores and feed on grass and various shrubs.

Mating Habits

REPRODUCTION SEASON
January-June
PREGNANCY DURATION
42 days
BABY CARRYING
1-3 leverets
INDEPENDENT AGE
1 month
FEMALE NAME
doe
MALE NAME
buck
BABY NAME
leveret

Little information is available regarding the mating habits of Cape hares. The breeding season lasts from January to June. Females give birth to one to three babies per litter and may have as many as 4 litters per year. The gestation period usually lasts around 42 days. Young are born with their eyes open and are able to move about shortly after birth. The mother nurses her young around 3 weeks and at this time they already consume plant food. At 1 month of age young become completely independent. Both males and females become reproductively mature at around 8 months of age.

Population

Population threats

Within the Gulf States, Cape hares face a number of threats that include urban and infrastructural development, road kills, livestock competition, hunting and poisoning, different recreational activities, climate change, disease, the loss of habitat and its fragmentation. In Africa, Cape hares suffer from the habitat loss due to agricultural practices; hunting is another threat to these animals.

Population number

According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Cape hare is unknown. However, in the southern region of their African range, the total population number of these animals today is more than 10,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Cape Hare on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_hare
2. Cape Hare on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41277/10429185

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