Lagomorpha Id code: amd252Leporidae Lepus victoriae Thomas, 1893 (Eng) African savanna or Whyte's hare (Fre) Lièvre à oreilles de lapin Taxonomic notes The genus Lepus is very confusing taxonomically, and its classifications is still debated (Chapman & Flux, 1990; Wilson & Reeder (1993). According to Chapman & Flux (1990) and Wilson & Reeder (1993), L. saxatilis and L. victoriae are regarded as distinct species, the former being limited to South Africa and Namibia, the latter ranging over most of the African continent and including the forms ascribed by some authors (e.g. Azzaroli-Puccetti, 1987) to Lepus crawshayi and Lepus whytei. It must be noted, however, that L. saxatilis and L. victoriae are regarded by several authors (e.g. Skinner & Smithers, 1990; Kingdon, 1997) as conspecific under the name L. saxatilis; it has also been suggested that both forms could turn out to be merely subspecies of the Indian hare, L. nigricollis (Chapman & Flux, 1990; Robinson & Dippenaar, 1983). IUCN threat category Lower Risk, least concern (LR: lc). Available information No specific studies on the species' ecology have been carried out, and literature available on the matter is poor. Some information on the species' ecology and distribution in East Africa is found in Azzaroli-Puccetti (1987), Flux & Flux (1983) and Yalden et al. (1996); these authors report on the habitat in which the species occurs. An account of the information available on the species' biology in Southern Africa is found in Mills & Hes (1997) and Skinner & Smithers (1990). General information on the species' ecology and distribution is found in Kingdon (1997) and Stuart & Stuart (1997). Status, distribution and ecology are discussed in Chapman & Flux (1990). Known extent of occurrence 
The African savanna hare occurs in most of sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from the Atlantic coast of North and West Africa eastwards across the Sahel to extreme west Ethiopia and west Kenya and southwards to east Namibia, Botswana and the western part of South Africa (Wilson & Reeder, 1993; Chapman & Flux, 1990). Over part of its range, it is sympatric with L. capensis. An isolated population is recorded in south Algeria, near Beni Abbes. Fig. 11.1.6.a shows the distribution range as obtained from the map in Chapman & Flux (1990). Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model This species appears to prefer scrub or woodland cover with high grasses and montane areas rather than open grasslands (Chapman & Flux, 1990; Flux & Flux, 1983). Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 11.1.6.b) (Tab. 11.1.6.a):
Tab 11.1.6.a: Cumulative size (km 2) of areas pertaining to each environmental suitability class within the Extent of Occurrence.
Tab 11.1.6.b: Area of Occupancy fragmentation indexes. Probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 11.1.6.c. Validation
Tab 11.1.6.c: Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model validation parameters. Comments and conservation issues The good score of the Index of Accordance (78.66%) supports the following considerations. Most of the very large EO of this species appears to be suitable, with the notable exception of the areas in Mauritania and Morocco. The PC model confirms this pattern. Notable unsuitable areas are also shown in Ghana and eastern former Zaire where further research would be useful to confirm its presence. The suitable areas seem to form an almost continuous network throughout most of the range (LPI = 72.44%) and with the contribution of the moderately suitable areas the network covers the whole AO. However, the high AWMSI also shows that the shape of these areas is very discontinuous and significant interspersion of areas of different suitability levels is widespread. Almost 10% of the total AO is included in existing protected areas.
Tab 11.1.6.d: Percent of environmental suitability classes within EO (as obtained from the categorical-discrete distribution model) inside and outside the protected areas. References Azzaroli-Puccetti M.L. (1987). On the hares of Ethiopia and Somalia and the systematic position of Lepus whytei Thomas, 1894 (Mammalia, Lagomorpha). Atti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Memorie Sc. Mat, Fis e naturali, Ser 8: n° 19(3a, 1), 1-19. Chapman J.A., Flux J.E.C. (Eds) (1990). Rabbits, Hares and Pikas: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Lagomorph Specialist Group. Flux J.E.C., Flux M.M. (1983). Taxonomy and distribution of East African hares. Acta Zoologica Fennica: 174, 41-43. Kingdon J. (1997). The Kingdon field guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, London and New York: Natural World. Mills G., Hes L. (1997). The complete book of Southern African mammals. Struik Publishers. Robinson T.J., Dippenaar N.J. (1983). The status of Lepus saxalis, L. whytei and L. crawshayi in southern Africa. Acta Zoologica Fennica: 174, 35-39. 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. Yalden D.W., Largen M.J., Kock D., Hillman J.C. (1996). Catalogue of the mammals of Ethiopia and Eritrea. 7. Revised checklist, zoogeography and conservation. Tropical Zoology: 9, 73-164.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||