A large, rodent-like mammal with unmistakable long, erect ears, large hind feet, and short tail. Yellow-brown to buff-gray above, grayer in Sinai, paler along flanks and white below. Coat dense and soft. Legs and feet as upper parts. Inside leg white. Hind feet greatly enlarged, generally over 10cm long. Sole with long hair. Head with blunt snout. Throat buff. Eyes prominent and surrounded by whitish eye ring. Ears very large and elongated, pale brown sometimes tipped with black. Inside paler. Tail short, blackish above, white below, held erect when run­ning exposing white under­side to the observer. When alert, sits upright with ears erect. Powerful runner.

Lepus capensis is native to non-forested areas of Africa, including one population in the south and a distinct one in the Sahel and Sahara. It is also widespread through parts of the Middle East and Central Asia (  http://www.geobop.com,   http://www.borealforest.org; Wilson and Reeder, 1993)

Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Introduced ); oriental (Native ); ethiopian (Native )

122 records. Latest in 2006 (Qattara Depression).

Widespread (Sinai, North coast, oases of Western desert, Eastern Desert). AOO=407.4 km². EOO=708465.6 km². 12 locations.

Widespread (most of Africa, Middle East; introduced elsewhere).

Brown Hares have a slender body with a bushy tail. The oval-shaped head has very long (12 to 14 cm), black-tipped ears and large, reddish-brown eyes. This species also has very long and powerful hind legs. Lepus capensis has ginger-brown fur with shades of black on the upper parts, a more ginger-colored breast and sides, with white inner sides of the legs and belly, and reddish-gray hair on the nape of the neck. (  http://www.borealforest.org, Grzimek 1990,   http://www.harrogate.co.uk/biltonhistory)

Range mass: 4 to 5 kg.

Range length: 520 to 595 mm.

Head-body length: 40 - 68 cm; Tail length: 7 - 15 cm; Weight1 - 3.5 kg.

Very variable, with complex set of ssp (4 from Egypt) that are probably invalid; molecular data will probably split this taxon into several spp, with a North African sp separate from the southern African one (Slimen et al. 2008); current situation unclear.

• Terrestrial

This species is found in open land, such as meadows, pastures, cultivated fields, sandy moors, and marshes, close to hedges, thickets, and forests. Lepus capensis inhabits bioclimatic regions that are temperate and humid, hot and dry, and can be found in barren and extreme arid deserts. (  http://www.borealforest.org, Kronfeld and Shkolnik 1996)

Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune

Wetlands: marsh

Other Habitat Features: agricultural

The Cape hare can be found in almost any open country, from savanna grassland to cold, stony desert. It thrives on overgrazed pasture, and so may be expanding its range in light of an increase in this habitat. Most hares do not dig burrows, instead relying on camouflage and speed to escape danger, but the Cape hare, in addition to using shallow scrapes in the ground (‘forms’), may use burrows to escape high desert temperatures.

Brown hares are primarily herbivorous. Their diet includes herbaceous plants, cereals, berries, vegetables, and some fungi, such as mushrooms. This species of hare also eats some of its fecal droppings laid during the night, and digests them a second time to obtain essential nutrients (proteins and vitamins) from material as it passes through the alimentary canal a second time.

Plant Foods: leaves; wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; flowers; lichens

Other Foods: fungus; dung

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Granivore , Lignivore)

Hares provide about 5 percent of total food intake for their predators.

Hares are in danger from the first day of their existence from a number of predators, including raptors and foxes and other mammalian carnivores. Their greatly elongated hindlimbs have allowed them to adopt a bounding gait and occupy areas with limited shelter. So, instead of taking cover when danger approaches, they depend on their running ability for escape. About 20 to 40 percent of annual hare offspring are eliminated by predators or natural causes. Loss among hares is to a much greater extent due to diseases and parasites than predators. Deaths are also connected with weather, nutritional deficiencies, agricultural activities, and road traffic.

Known Predators:

• Cape foxes (Vulpes chama)
• raptors (Falconiformes)

The communication patterns of these animals have not been reported in detail. However, it is likely that as with all diurnal mammals, there are some forms of visual communication, such as is seen in the ritual interactons between males during mating season. Tactile communication is probably important between mates, as well as between mothers and their offspring. Chemical cues may help to identify reproductive condition, and may play some role in mating. Hares have acute hearing, but the role of this in communication within the species is not known.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

The Cape hare is well adapted to living in arid and desert environments, with a low metabolic rate, concentrated urine (to minimize water loss), and the ability to drink more saline water than other hares. It may also be able to radiate heat through the large ears. Active at night, this species feeds mainly on grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plants, but is likely to take bark, buds, shoots and other plant material when the favored foods are unavailable. Like other hares and rabbits, it maximizes the nutrients gained from its food by re-ingesting its faeces, so that food passes through the digestive tract twice. The enlarged caecum also contains cellulose-digesting bacteria, which help break down plant material. 

Although usually solitary, the Cape hare may be seen in small groups in the breeding season, when males may fight or ‘box’ with each other, or with receptive females. The Cape hare is a rapid breeder, able to reproduce year-round in some areas, and sometimes producing up to eight litters a year. The female gives birth to around one to four young, after a short gestation period of about 42 days, and can become pregnant again immediately after giving birth. The young, known as leverets, are born fully furred and with the eyes open. The leverets are able to move around shortly after birth, but are left concealed in vegetation and are only visited by the female for a short period each day to suckle. Weaning usually occurs by one month, and the young may reach sexual maturity at eight months. Lifespan in the wild may be around five years, although only a minority are likely to survive the first year.

Specific information on the longevity of this species is not available. However, hares rarely live more than a year in the wild. Only a few individuals obtain 5 years, and the highest recorded age of 12.5 years is an exception.

The mating system of these animals has not been reported.

Mating among L. capensis occurs from January to June, with the young being born from March to October. Gestation lasts 42 days, and the doe raises 2 to 4 litters of 1 to 6 leverets per year. During the mating season, mating activities are very lively in the late morning or early afternoon. (  http://www.borealforest.org, Grzimek 1990)

Breeding interval: Breeding may occur at intervals of approximately three months.

Breeding season: Breeding occurs from January to June, with young produced from March to October..

Range number of offspring: 1 to 6.

Range gestation period: 38 to 41 days.

Average gestation period: 40 days.

Range weaning age: 14 to 28 days.

Average weaning age: 28 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 7 to 9 months.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 7 to 9 months.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); fertilization ; viviparous

Average birth mass: 118.4 g.

Average number of offspring: 2.6.

Lepus capensis newborn weigh an average of 4.5 oz and develop rapidly in the nest. The young are suckled for three weeks, at which time they are already eating plant food. Young are idependent and completely weaned by one month. At this time they reach a weight of about 2 lb. Brown hares reache adulthood at 7 to 9 months. (  http://www.borealforest.org, Grzimek 1990)

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female)

These animals are not currently a conservation concern.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Native, resident.

Least Concern.

Common.

When L. capensis populations are high, these hares may cause damage in young forest plantations and among crops.

Negative Impacts: crop pest

Humans hunt these hares for food.

Positive Impacts: food