Amami rabbit
Ryukyu Rabbit ( Pentalagus furnessi )
The Ryukyu or Amami rabbit ( Pentalagus furnessi ) is a mammal of the family of hares ( Leporidae ) and is among the most primitive species of its family. Ryukyu Rabbit come exclusively before on two islands ( Amami - Oshima and Tokunoshima ) belonging to Japan archipelago of the Ryukyu Islands, where she served as Amami no Kuro- usagi (Japanese奄 美 野 黒 兎or奄美 の 黒 兎, German: " black Rabbit of Amami " ) are known.
Features
The species is characterized by a woolly, dark brown fur, the ears are very short ( 4-5 cm). The relatively short limbs bear strikingly long claws. Ryukyu Rabbit reach a head -body length 40-53 cm, a tail length of 2 to 3.5 inches and a weight of two to three kilograms.
Dissemination
The two islands of Amami - Oshima and Tokunoshima have a subtropical climate. The rabbits live in heights up to 694 meters ( Yuwandake on Amami - Oshima, the highest point on the islands ). The coastal, lined with cycads rocks and hillside oak forests are the natural habitat. After the islands were deforested in the 1970s and 1980s, most of to Ryukyu rabbits have adapted to the developed thereby miscanthus surfaces.
Behavior
These animals are nocturnal forest dwellers. They leave their burrows in section 17 against clock and return at 6 clock. They dig 30 to 200 centimeters long tunnel at the ends of a hole in the ground about 20 centimeters in diameter located, which serves as a place to sleep. Several times a year the female gives birth two to three young.
An analysis of the food plants at least 29 different plant species were found, of which feed Ryukyu rabbit. These include sedges, miscanthus and hair strand as well as the fruits of sham chestnuts and Storaxbäumen. Saplings and nuts of plants are preferably eaten.
Enemies
Bamboo viper ( Trimeresurus ) were once the only natural predators of rabbits on the islands. Thanks to the people later mongooses and domestic dogs were introduced to the islands are now also chasing the rabbit.
System
Pikas ( Ochotonidae / Ochotona )
Busch rabbits ( Poelagus marjorita )
Rotkaninchen ( Pronolagus )
Stripe rabbit ( Nesolagus )
Volcano rabbit ( Romerolagus diazi )
Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Bristle rabbits ( Caprolagus hispidus )
Bushman Hare ( Bunolagus monticularis )
Ryukyu Rabbit ( Pentalagus furnessi )
Cottontail rabbits ( Sylvilagus )
Dwarf rabbits ( Brachylagus idahoensis )
True hares (Lepus )
The Bushman Hare is assigned as a distinct species and monotypic genus the rabbit ( Leporidae ). Within the species, no subspecies are distinguished. The first scientific description of the species was made in 1829 by Witmer Stone, 1904 Marcus Ward Lyon described the related monotypic genus.
On the basis of molecular biological data has been of Conrad A. Matthee et al. 2004, a cladogram developed that represents the phylogenetic relationships of the genera within the bunnies to each other. Accordingly, the Ryukyu Rabbit is the sister species of the widespread only on river banks in the Karoo desert in western South Africa Riverine Rabbit ( Bunolagus monticularis ) and forms a taxon. This is offset by a taxon from the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the bristle rabbits ( Caprolagus hispidus ), while living in America, cottontail rabbits ( Sylvilagus ) and the Dwarf ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) is the sister group of these four types.
As closely related to the Ryukyu Rabbit also Pliopentalagus is considered, which was widespread in the Miocene and Pliocene widely across Eurasia.
Threat
Before the type in 1921 was fully protected by the Japanese government, they were hunted for their meat and for alleged healing powers. Today, the clearing of the forests and snares by stray dogs and cats are the main threat to the animals dar. estimates of the total population amounts to around 2000-4800 copies ( 2003). Of these, the majority lives on Amami Oshima, and only 120 to 300 copies on Tokunoshima. The IUCN lists the species as endangered ( "endangered "). To protect the animals, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment has launched a campaign to eradicate the mongoose on the islands in 2005.
Usually, the animals avoid human contact. On the islands, some animals are kept in captivity, and there is it in the zoo of Kagoshima.