Endangered Species--Springhare

Geographic Range
• Range Description: This species occurs Leabharlann Baidun :
southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, western Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, south of the Zambezi River, and in South Africa in the Limpopo Province, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, although they are absent from the eastern parts, Free State, extreme northwestern KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape. It has not been recorded from Lesotho.
•The species is nocturnal 夜间活动的） （夜间活动的）, and forage（觅食） in groups of two to six individuals.
Behavior
• Springhares are mostly nocturnal but are occasionally active in the day. During the daytime, they live in tunnels that they dig. They plug the entrance of the hole with soil from the inside of the tunnel. It is easier for them to dig during the rainy season when the soil is wet. Sometimes they leap out of their burrows when they come out at night. The springhare jumps like a kangaroo on its hind legs, retreating to its burrow when frightened.
Status
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The springhare was listed as vulnerable by the IUCN in 1996 due to an approximately 20% decrease in the population over the previous ten years. This has been caused by intense hunting and the loss of habitat. In 2001 their status was reclassified to least concern (LC).
注：IUCN: International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 国际自然与自然资源保护联合会[瑞士]
Major Threat(s)
• There are no major threats to this species as a whole. Springhare have great value as a source of protein, and Butynski (1975) estimated that, in Botswana, 2.5 million springhare were taken annually for food by the indigenous（土生土长的） peoples. The San secure them by hooking them out of their burrows using a pole with a barb on the tip, as do the Ndebele in Zimbabwe using a burred seedpod lashed to the end of a pole which is screwed into the fur so tightly that the springhaas can be withdrawn. The San also use the skins to make water and food containers, mats or karosses, and the best thread is made from the tail sinews. In agricultural areas, springhare can become a problem; Butynski (1973) estimated that 10-15% of maize, sorghum, beans and groundnuts grown in Botswana were destroyed by springhare.
Characteristics
The color of this mammal（哺乳动物） varies from a reddish-brown to a pale grey, with a black tip on the tail. The springhare lives only in south-eastern Africa, feeding on plant matter and even occasionally insects. Propagation: Springhares breed throughout the year. The females give birth to a single infant about three times a year. Unlike some other rodents（啃 齿类）, which have blind and hairless young, springhares are born furred, and are active within a very short time of birth.
Endangered Species --Springhare
What’s the springhare
The springhare (Pedetes capensis跳兔), or springhaas, is not actually a hare(野兔), but a member of the order Rodentia(啮齿目); it is one of a number of species in the genus(类) Pedetes.
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It has been found that a pair of springhares may occupy many different burrows on different days. They tend to make three burrows together in a circular shape. These burrows are mostly found near the largest tree or bush within their home range. The springhare's home range is within 25 to 250 m (82 to 820 ft) of its burrow. It may expand its area during a drought. The springhare's unoccupied burrows are sometimes used for hiding during the daytime by the Black-footed cat.
Habitat and Ecology
• Throughout their range they occur only where there is suitable substrate, as they are unable to burrow（挖洞） in hard substrates and prefer （挖洞） lighter sandy soils. If they do occur in these areas, it is usually where there are intrusions of sandy alluvium（冲积层）, such as along rivers, or in patches of sandy soil overlaying hard ground. They are commonly seen on open sandy ground or sandy scrub（灌木丛）, overgrazed grassland, on floodplain grassland or pans, and in cultivated areas.
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Countries: Angola; Congo, The Democratic
Republic of Congo; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Characteristics
The springhare resembles a small kangaroo (though unrelated) with well-developed hind legs（后腿）, which allows it to leap over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in a single bound. It is for this ability that it gets its name. This animal grows to be around 35–45 cm (14–18 in) in length excluding its long tail, and weighs an average of 3 kg (6.6 lb). The tail adds to another 36– 47 cm (14–19 in) in length. They have four toes on their hind feet with claws that look like small hoofs（蹄）; these are wider than those found on the forefeet. They have a thick muscular neck supporting their short head. They also have large eyes, and their ears have a tragus(耳屏 ) that prevents sand from entering when they are digging.
Conservation Actions
This species occurs in several protected areas throughout the range, many with good management. Further research is needed into harvest levels for his species. Here are some suggestion: There are many organizations that are fighting to preserve wildlife, including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund. Donate money to the above and other similar nature organizations, or write letters to government, companies, and newspapers voicing your concerns regarding the environment and your ideas for preserving it. Volunteer to educate others or to develop writing and advertising material, replant trees, boycott animal tested products, and report poachers.