Cape hare
Cape hare (Lepus capensis )
The Cape hare (Lepus capensis ), also known as desert hare, is a species of mammal of the family of hares ( Leporidae ). He is over large parts of Africa ( with the exception of the heavily forested areas in West and Central Africa), and spread to the Arabian Peninsula to Iraq. In Australia it was introduced.
Description
The coat of Kaphasen is gray brown on the top and has black mottles, the underside is whitish. The top of the bushy tail is black, the bottom also white. The long ears have a black tip. When fleeing Kaphasen the ears and the black-and- white tail are very conspicuous. With 50 to 55 centimeters in body length and weighing between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds, it is smaller than the European hare.
Way of life
Kaphasen inhabit a series of dry, open habitats such as grasslands and semi-deserts, but also mountainous regions. They are also found in fields and plantations, but they avoid dense forests. There are nocturnal animals, the day retire to a bottom trough. These are ausgescharrt with his front paws in the immediate vicinity of bushes or tufts of grass. Approaching a potential predator, the Cape hare lays his ears tight to the body. If the intruder to close the Kaphasen suddenly jump out of hiding and fleeing at high speed. Kaphasen up to 60 km / h run fast. At night, they go looking for food. The diet consists of plant materials such as grasses and herbs, as well as berries and mushrooms. Thanks to its long hind legs, they can run very fast to escape from predators, but they can also climb and swim well.
Reproduction
Up to four times a year the female can throw, the gestation period is around 42 days and the litter size of two to six. Newborns are hairy and have open eyes. After three weeks, the first time they take solid food, after four weeks they are weaned. Sexual maturity occurs at around seven to nine months.
The life expectancy of Kaphasen is a maximum of five or six years, however, many animals do not survive their first year.
Threat
Kaphasen have many natural enemies, including big cats and birds of prey. Also, people hunt them for their meat and fur. Because of their great fertility but they are not among the endangered species.
System
The exact delimitation of species from other rabbit species is still controversial. Previously Kaphasen as conspecific with the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), the Corsica hare ( L. Corsicanus ), the Iberian hare ( L. granatensis ) and living in Central Asia Tolai hare ( L. Tolai ) considered today to be these types usually considered to be independent.
The subspecies of Kaphasen the Arabian Peninsula (L. capensis arabicus ) and Ethiopia (L. c. Habessinicus ) are sometimes considered for in return as a separate species.