Cape Hare
Lepus capensis
Silhouette: Jan A. Venter, Herbert H. T. Prins, David A. Balfour & Rob Slotow (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderLagomorpha (Lagomorphs)
- FamilyLeporidae (Hares and Rabbits)
- GenusLepus (Hares and Jackrabbits)
- SpeciesLepus capensis (Cape Hare)
About the Cape Hare
The Cape hare (Lepus capensis), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India. The Cape hare was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 with the binomial name Lepus capensis, published in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The Cape hare is part of a species complex. Lepus tolai and Lepus tibetanus were moved out based on geographic distribution and molecular characteristics. The current remaining grouping of Lepus capensis sensu lato remains paraphyletic.
As of 2005, 12 subspecies were recognised: Lepus capensis capensis Lepus capensis aquilo Lepus capensis carpi Lepus capensis granti Lepus capensis aegyptius Lepus capensis hawkeri Lepus capensis isabellinus Lepus capensis sinaiticus
Lepus capensis arabicus Lepus capensis atlanticus Lepus capensis whitakeri Lepus capensis schlumbergi The Cape hare is a typical hare, with well-developed legs for leaping and running, and large eyes and ears to look for threats from its environment. Usually, a white ring surrounds the eye. It has a fine, soft coat which varies in colour from light brown to reddish to sandy grey. Unusually among mammals, the female... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Cape Hare in Tsavo East National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tsavo East National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Cape Hare in Tsavo East National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hare sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Cape Hare in Tsavo East National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Cape Hare in Tsavo East National Park in our monthly data.