Hares (Lepus spp) in Southern Africa

[Richprins]

I bet you one can find a cape genetic one that has an orange patch!

Half the scrub hares have buggerall orange!

[Flutterby]

Very interesting. Thanks Klipspringer!!

[Klipspringer]

Lepus saxatilis Scrub Hare

The distribution of L. saxatilis is uncertain, but is currently considered almost endemic to South Africa (and more precisely, the the extreme western and southwestern regions of the country) (Robinson & Matthee 2005; Robinson in press).
While L. saxatilis (sensu lato) has been reported as occurring in Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho and the central and northern interior of South Africa (Kryger et al. 2004b; Collins et al. 2008), only the southwestern population (in the Western and Northern Cape provinces) is recognised by Happold (2013a) as belonging to L. saxatilis (sensu stricto).
Populations throughout the rest of South Africa, eSwatini and Lesotho are referred to as L. cf. saxatilis (Happold 2013a). The uncertain taxonomy undermines geographical delimitation at present.

(Robinson T, Relton C, Child MF. 2016. A conservation assessment of Lepus spp.)



Different distribution map here for L. saxatilis sensu strictu
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41285/45188827

[Richprins]

Happold!

[Klipspringer]

At least we are able to tell what a hare is

[Lisbeth]

If the map is correct, there are not any scrub hares in Kruger

[Klipspringer]

If the map is correct, there are not any scrub hares in Kruger

They are now labelled Savanna hare.

The Scrub hare was once one species with large distribution and is now considered to be many species awaiting review.

There is one study from 2004 that says there a three lineages in SA, the south-western one (as in the map on page 1 here in the fynbos area), a central one and a north-eastern one.

Cape hare is most likely also more than one species, IMO.

[Lisbeth]

So we still don't know the name(s) of the hares that we see in Kruger, apart from one being the savannah hare? We only know that the ones in the KTP are not Kalahari Hares

[Klipspringer]

Yep. But the Lepus victoriae Savanna Hare is widely accepted by now. And it is obvious that a Cape hare in Kruger is only possible in an open grassland habitat in the North.

Lepus victoriae was accepted and assessed in 2019 by the IUCN-List
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41879/45194215

[Lisbeth]

I'll stay away from the hares