Lepus microtis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	LAGOMORPHA	LEPORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lepus microtis

Species Authority:

Heuglin, 1865

Common Name/s:

English	–	African Savanna Hare
French	–	Lievre Des Savanes

Synonym/s:

Lepus crawshayi de Winton, 1899

Lepus victoriae Thomas, 1893

Taxonomic Notes:

There are four recognized subspecies: Lepus microtis angolensis, L. m. microtis, L. m. senegalensis, and L. m. whytei (Hoffmann and Smith 2005). This species was formerly included in L. saxatilis and has been classified under several different names (saxatilis, crawshayi, whytei, and victoriae) (Hoffmann and Smith 2005). Ben Slimen et al. (2008) suggest that the name Lepus victoriae be retained and microtis considered a "nomen dubium", referencing Petter (1959) and Angermann (1965).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H.
Reviewer/s:	Boyer, A.F. & Johnston, C.H. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)
Contributor/s:
Justification: This species has a widespread distribution (Flux and Angermann 1990). Lepus microtis is characterized as a "successful species over much of Africa" (Flux and Angermann 1990).

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Lepus microtis occupies a large geographic distribution within Africa including the sub-Saharan region, Atlantic coast (Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea), the Sahel to the western-most regions of Ethiopia and Kenya, and south to the northeast regions of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia (Hoffmann and Smith 2005). In western Algeria, a small isolated population has been identified (Flux and Angermann 1990; Hoffmann and Smith 2005). This species is sympatric with L. capensis, allo- to parapatric with L. saxatilis and L. habessinicus (Hoffmann and Smith 2005).
Countries:	Native: Algeria; Angola (Angola); Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; South Africa; Sudan; Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Uganda; Western Sahara; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There are no known data regarding the population status of Lepus microtis. However, L. microtis is characterized as a "successful species over much of Africa" (Flux and Angermann 1990). There is a small, isolated population in western Algeria (Flux and Angermann 1990; Hoffmann and Smith 2005).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	There are few data regarding the ecology of Lepus microtis (Boitani et al. 1999). Where L. microtis and L. capensis are sympatric, L. microtis occupies scrubbier and more montane habitat (Flux and Angermann 1990). Diet for this species varies according to habitat (Flux and Angermann 1990). This is a nocturnal species (Happold pers. comm.). Female hares were found to be breeding during all months of the year, with an average litter size of 1.6 (Flux and Angermann 1990).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

There are few data regarding the ecology of Lepus microtis (Boitani et al. 1999). Where L. microtis and L. capensis are sympatric, L. microtis occupies scrubbier and more montane habitat (Flux and Angermann 1990). Diet for this species varies according to habitat (Flux and Angermann 1990). This is a nocturnal species (Happold pers. comm.). Female hares were found to be breeding during all months of the year, with an average litter size of 1.6 (Flux and Angermann 1990).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The threats to this species are not known.

Major Threat(s):

The threats to this species are not known.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Available data on the ecology for Lepus microtis are included in many treatments, but are restricted to select areas of its distribution (Boitani et al. 1999). Research specific to this species' ecology should be conducted. Research regarding the isolated population in western Algeria should be conducted (Flux and Angermann 1990).

Conservation Actions:

Available data on the ecology for Lepus microtis are included in many treatments, but are restricted to select areas of its distribution (Boitani et al. 1999). Research specific to this species' ecology should be conducted. Research regarding the isolated population in western Algeria should be conducted (Flux and Angermann 1990).

Citation:	Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H. 2008. Lepus microtis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 18 May 2013.
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