Nesolagus netscheri

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	LAGOMORPHA	LEPORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Nesolagus netscheri

Species Authority:

(Schlegel, 1880)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Sumatran Striped Rabbit, Sumatran Rabbit, Sumatran Short-eared Rabbit
French	–	Lapin De Sumatra
Spanish	–	Conejo De Sumatra

Taxonomic Notes:

There are no recognized subspecies of Nesolagus netscheri (Hoffmann and Smith 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Meijaard, E. & Sugardjito, J.

Evaluator/s:

Smith, A.T. & Boyer, A.F. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)

Justification:
Nesolagus netscheri is a naturally rare species, endemic to Sumatra, and is not well known locally. It is threatened by anthropogenic factors, primarily habitat destruction (Flux 1990). Its population is restricted to elevations above 600 m and it is known from only seven locations (Flux 1990). Based on suitable habitat, elevation, and location records, the species has an extent of occurrence less than 20,000 km².

History:

1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Endangered (IUCN)
1990	–	Indeterminate (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Indeterminate
1986	–	Rare (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The species is endemic to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia (Hoffmann and Smith 2005). The majority of records are from west-central and southwest Sumatra, with one record from Gunung Leuser NP (Flux 1990). N. netscheri occurs at a minimum elevation of 600 m and maximum elevation of 1,600 m (Flux 1990).
Countries:	Native: Indonesia (Sumatera)
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Population size and density are unknown for this species, though density is suspected to be naturally low (Flux 1990). It is a rarely seen species, that has likely never been common in its range as there is little local knowledge of the species (Flux 1990). It is known from only seven locations (Flux 1990). A sighting in January 2007 with a camera trap was the most recent since 2000, and the previous record was from 1972 (BBC News 2007).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Population size and density are unknown for this species, though density is suspected to be naturally low (Flux 1990). It is a rarely seen species, that has likely never been common in its range as there is little local knowledge of the species (Flux 1990). It is known from only seven locations (Flux 1990).

A sighting in January 2007 with a camera trap was the most recent since 2000, and the previous record was from 1972 (BBC News 2007).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Most records of Nesolagus netscheri are from land being cleared for coffee or tea plantations, rabbits were noticed as the forest was cleared at elevations between 600 m and 1,600 m (Flux 1990). The preferred habitat of N. netscheri is montane forest with volcanic soil (Flux 1990). This species has low tolerance to human disturbance (Meijaard and Sugardjito 2005). Its diet consists of understory plants, and it is not seen feeding in clearings (Flux 1990). It is nocturnal, residing during the day in burrows most likely built by other animals (Flux 1990; Schneider 2001). HB length is 36.8-41.7 cm (Flux 1990).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Most records of Nesolagus netscheri are from land being cleared for coffee or tea plantations, rabbits were noticed as the forest was cleared at elevations between 600 m and 1,600 m (Flux 1990). The preferred habitat of N. netscheri is montane forest with volcanic soil (Flux 1990). This species has low tolerance to human disturbance (Meijaard and Sugardjito 2005).

Its diet consists of understory plants, and it is not seen feeding in clearings (Flux 1990). It is nocturnal, residing during the day in burrows most likely built by other animals (Flux 1990; Schneider 2001). HB length is 36.8-41.7 cm (Flux 1990).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threat to Nesolagus netscheri is the clearing of mountain forest for agriculture, primarily coffee, tea and cocoa plantations (Flux 1990). It is not apparently hunted routinely, probably due to its natural rarity (Flux 1990).

Major Threat(s):

The main threat to Nesolagus netscheri is the clearing of mountain forest for agriculture, primarily coffee, tea and cocoa plantations (Flux 1990). It is not apparently hunted routinely, probably due to its natural rarity (Flux 1990).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	A conservation plan for Nesolagus netscheri had been proposed in the past, but was never funded (Flux 1990). The discovery and protection of a population of rabbits is necessary for conservation, and surveys of the distribution of the rabbit and its presence in reserves and private land (Flux 1990). N. netscheri had been locally reported as fairly common, by locals, in the protected area Gumai Pasemah Wildlife Reserve in Sumatra Selatan (Flux 1990). However, a return trip to the area discovered that a feral colony of Oryctolagus cuniculus was mistakenly identified as N. netscheri by the locals on the northern side of the reserve (Flux 1990). It has been caught by camera traps in Kerinci Seblat National Park (Fauna and Flora News 1998) and Bukit Barisan National Park (BBC News 2007).

Conservation Actions:

A conservation plan for Nesolagus netscheri had been proposed in the past, but was never funded (Flux 1990). The discovery and protection of a population of rabbits is necessary for conservation, and surveys of the distribution of the rabbit and its presence in reserves and private land (Flux 1990).

N. netscheri had been locally reported as fairly common, by locals, in the protected area Gumai Pasemah Wildlife Reserve in Sumatra Selatan (Flux 1990). However, a return trip to the area discovered that a feral colony of Oryctolagus cuniculus was mistakenly identified as N. netscheri by the locals on the northern side of the reserve (Flux 1990). It has been caught by camera traps in Kerinci Seblat National Park (Fauna and Flora News 1998) and Bukit Barisan National Park (BBC News 2007).

Citation:	Meijaard, E. & Sugardjito, J. 2008. Nesolagus netscheri. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 November 2009.
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