RODENTIA

Full screen Rodentia Id code: amd250

Pedetidae
Pedetes capensis

(Forster, 1778)

(Eng) Spring hare

(Fre) Lièvre sauteur

Taxonomic notes

No significant taxonomic notes.

IUCN threat category

Vulnerable (VU: criteria A1cd).

Available information

Literature available on the ecology of this species is limited. A quite detailed study of its habitat use and preferences was carried out at Game Ranching Ltd. (Kenya) by Augustine et al. (1995); the authors also report information on its feeding habits and foraging behaviour. Habitat, diet, and habits were investigated in the Kalahari Desert (Botswana) by Butynski (1984). Data on the species' occurrence are available for part of South Africa (Lynch, 1983, 1989). The species' ecology and distribution in Southern Africa is thoroughly described in De Graaff (1981), Mills & Hes (1997), and Skinner & Smithers (1990). General information on its ecology is found in Kingdon (1971-77, 1997) and Stuart & Stuart (1997).

Known extent of occurrence

The spring hare is present in Africa with two disjunct populations, the first ranging from southern former Zaire and Angola to South Africa, the second present in Tanzania and Kenya (Wilson & Reeder, 1993). Its distribution map was first obtained by overlapping two maps from Skinner & Smithers (1990) and De Graaff (1981). The map was then updated following the more recent data from Kingdon (1997) and Mills & Hes (1997). The resulting range is shown in Fig. 10.2.1.a.

Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model

The species mostly inhabits flat open areas with short grasses. It also occurs in light woodland and open scrub (Augustine et al., 1995; De Graaff, 1981; Kingdon, 1997).

Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 10.2.1.b) (10.2.1.a):

Score
1	Grasslands and grassland/shrubland mosaics.
2	Woodland mosaics and transitions; croplands.
3	Forests; bushlands and thickets; desert.

suitable		moderately suitable		unsuitable		Total
km²	%	km²	%	km²	%	km²	%
657 115	14	2 040 322	43	2 028 118	43	4 725 555	100

Tab 10.2.1.a: Cumulative size (km²) of areas pertaining to each environmental suitability class within the Extent of Occurrence.

	Number Patches (NP)	Mean Patch Size (MPS) km²	Patch Size SD (PSSD) km²	Largest Patch Index (LPI) %	Mean Shape Index (MSI)	Area-Weighted Mean Shape Index (AWMSI)
suitable	1 087	604	10 112	9.19	1.32	13.34
moderately suitable	1 821	1 120	36 923	58.29	1.3	26.39
Total AO	1 149	2 347	67 156	84.18	1.3	12.67

Tab 10.2.1.b: Area of Occupancy fragmentation indexes.

Probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model

The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 10.2.1.c.

Validation

% of EO in sample areas	Number of valid plots	Index of Accordance (%)
12.24	88	79.55

Tab 10.2.1.c: Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model validation parameters.

Comments and conservation issues

The former EO is today divided into two main sections. The overall suitability appears very low, and only 14% of the EO is classified by the CD model as suitable, while 43% is moderately suitable. The CD model shows large unsuitable areas in Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and former Zaire, while the PC model, perhaps more accurately, shows a more evenly distributed suitability across the ranges. It should be noted that the high Index of Accordance (79.55%), though supporting the results of the CD model, was obtained from plots located in the almost homogeneously moderately suitable area of Botswana, while no information is available for the vast unsuitable areas of Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and former Zaire. Fragmentation of the small suitable areas is naturally very high but it is mitigated by the contribution of the moderately suitable areas: the total AO is a mosaic of areas of different suitability classes. The species is classified as Vulnerable, especially because local populations have been wiped out; about 10% of the total AO is protected by parks and reserves.

SUITABILITY CLASS	inside	outside	Total
suitable	0.79	13.11	13.91
moderately suitable	5.09	38.09	43.18
unsuitable	5.35	37.56	42.92
Total	11.23	88.77	100

Tab 10.2.1.d: Percent of environmental suitability classes within EO (as obtained from the categorical-discrete distribution model) inside and outside the protected areas.

References

Augustine D.J., Manzon A., Klopp C., Elter J. (1995). Habitat selection and group foraging of the springhare, Petetes capensis larvalis Hollister, in East Africa. Afr.J.Ecol.: 33(4), 347-357.

Butynski T.M. (1984). Nocturnal ecology of the springhare, Pedetes capensis, in Botswana. Afr. J. Ecol.: 22, 7-22.

De Graaff G. (1981). The rodents of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban-Pretoria.

Kingdon J. (1971-77). East African Mammals. VOL I: primates, hyraces, pangolins, protoungulates, sirenians. VOL IIA: Insectivores and bats. VOL IIB: hares and rodents. VOL IIIA: carnivores. VOL IIIB: large mammals. VOL IIIC: bovids. VOL IIID: bovids. Academic Press, London and New York.

Kingdon J. (1997). The Kingdon field guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, London and New York: Natural World.

Lynch C.D. (1983). The mammals of the Orange Free State. Mem. van die Nasionale Mus., Bloemfontein: 18, 1-218.

Lynch C.D. (1989). The mammals of the north-east Cape Province. Mem. van die Nasionale Mus., Bloemfontein: 25, 1-116.

Mills G., Hes L. (1997). The complete book of Southern African mammals. Struik Publishers.

Skinner J.D., Smithers R.H.N. (1990). The mammals of the Southern African subregion. University of Pretoria, Pretoria.

Stuart C., Stuart T. (1997). Field guide to the larger mammals of Africa. Struik Publishers.

Wilson D.E., Reeder D.M. (Eds) (1993). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.