Shrub hare [1] [2] ( lat. Lepus saxatilis ) is a mammal of the hare family that lives in sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of wooded areas in West and Central Africa.
| Shrub hare | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International scientific name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lepus saxatilis F. Cuvier , 1823 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security status | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Description
The body length is 60 cm. The coat color is brown on top with black specks, the lower part of the body is whitish. The top of the fluffy tail is black and the bottom is white. As a rule, there is a white spot on the forehead.
The shrub hare is very similar to the Cape hare , but larger than it. Size varies by region, with the largest animals found in southwestern Africa.
Distribution
The species is common in sub - Saharan Africa .
Lifestyle
Shrub hares are preferred by open forests and shrubs, as well as cultivated landscapes. Usually these are solitary animals. In regions with an excess assortment of food can be found in large quantities. Animals are active at night and feed mainly on grass and other plants.
Notes
- ↑ Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia. "Mammals" Prince. 2 = The New Encyclopedia of Mammals / Ed. D. MacDonald . - M .: Omega, 2007 .-- S. 440. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-465-01346-8 .
- ↑ Sokolov V.E. The pagan dictionary of animal names. Mammals Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / edited by Acad. V. E. Sokolova. - M .: Rus. lang., 1984. - S. 205. - 10,000 copies.
Literature
- Chris and Tilde Stuart: Southern, Central and East African Mammals, Struik Publishers, 1992, ISBN 1-86825-223-X , ISBN 0-86825-223-X (wrong)