Smith's Red Rockhare

About the Smith's Red Rockhare

Smith's red rockhare, Smith's red rock hare or Smith's red rock rabbit (Pronolagus rupestris) is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae (rabbits and hares), and is the smallest member of the genus Pronolagus. The upperparts and gular collar are reddish brown in colour. It has warm, brown, grizzled, thicker hairs at the back of the body, and white to tawny, thinner underfur. It is native to Africa, found in parts of Kenya (Rift Valley), Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa (Northern Cape, Free State, and North West), Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a folivore, and usually forages on grasses (such as sprouting grass), shrubs and herbs. It breeds from September to February, and the female litters one or two offspring. The young leave the nest at three years of age. In 1996, it was rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith first described the Smith's red rock hare in the year 1834. It was originally described in the genus Lepus, and was formerly included in Natal red rock hare (P. crassicaudatus). They are commonly known as rock rabbits in Zambia. In Swahili, its name is sungura mwekundu or... Wikipedia →