Woolly hare

Last updated

Woolly hare
Woolly Hare at Polakongka La, Ladakh, India.jpg
at Polakongka La, Ladakh, India
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Lepus
Species:
L. oiostolus
Binomial name
Lepus oiostolus
Hodgson, 1840
Woolly Hare area.png
Woolly hare range

The woolly hare (Lepus oiostolus) is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. [2] It is found in western and central China, northern India, and Nepal, where its typical habitat is montane grassland. It has a wide range and is present in some protected areas but is a generally uncommon species; the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Contents

Description

The woolly hare grows to a length of 40 to 58 cm (16 to 23 in). The coat is moulted just once a year. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Woolly hare Woolly hare (Lepus oiostolus).JPG
Woolly hare

The woolly hare is native to Central Asia. Its range extends from northern Nepal, and Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim in India, to western and central China, where it is present in the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Yunnan. The habitat of this hare is mainly high altitude grasslands of several types; Alpine meadows, shrubby meadows and upland cold deserts, but it also occurs in coniferous or mixed montane woodland. Its altitudinal range is from 3,000 to 5,300 m (9,800 to 17,400 ft) above sea level. [1] [3]

Ecology

The woolly hare is a shy and usually solitary animal, and although sometimes active by day, it is mostly nocturnal. It feeds on grasses and herbs, with individual animals returning regularly at night to the same foraging areas. During the day it sometimes rests in the sun in a sheltered position. The breeding season starts in April, with two litters of between four and six young being produced each year. [3]

Status

The woolly hare has a wide range but is a generally uncommon species, and its population is described as "very low except in a few favoured areas". It is hunted for its meat and fur, and in some areas suitable habitat is being destroyed, resulting in fragmenting of populations and the inability of individuals to make local migrations. In Nepal and China it is present in some protected areas. Overall, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern" but in India it is considered "endangered". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispid hare</span> Species of mammal

The hispid hare, also called Assam rabbit and bristly rabbit, is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, its habitat is highly fragmented with an area of occupancy estimated at less than 500 km2 (190 sq mi) extending over an area of 5,000 to 20,000 km2. Populations experienced a continuing decline in suitable habitat due to increasing agriculture, flood control, and human development. It is therefore listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986. It is the only species in the genus Caprolagus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korean hare</span> Species of mammal

The Korean hare is a species of hare native to the Korean Peninsula and adjoining parts of northeastern China. The Korean hare inhabits diverse habitats within its range, from remote mountain forests to cultivated land. Fur colour varies slightly among individuals, but is generally some shade of liver brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchurian hare</span> Species of mammal

The Manchurian hare is a species of hare found in northeastern China and Russia, the Amur River basin, and the higher mountains of northern North Korea. It lives in forests and the IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blanford's bat</span> Species of bat

Blanford's bat, also known as the least false-serotine bat, is a species of vesper bat. It can be found in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand, where it lives in various different forested habitats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The Tibetan dwarf hamster is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found not only in Tibet and China, but also in India and Nepal in mountainous regions at altitudes of up to about 5,200 m (17,100 ft).

The Kam dwarf hamster is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in the mountains of western China where it inhabits grassland, shrubby marshes and steppes. Although it has a limited range, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blyth's vole</span> Species of rodent

Blyth's vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is the only species in the genus Phaiomys. It is found in mountainous regions in northern India, Nepal and China. It is a burrowing rodent and lives in small colonies. It has a wide distribution and faces no particular threats so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The Sikkim mountain vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Bhutan, India, Nepal and China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian gray shrew</span> Species of mammal

The Asian gray shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of the commonest species within its range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yunnan hare</span> Species of mammal

The Yunnan hare is a medium-sized species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, flat, and long dorsal pelage which is grayish brown or dark gray in color, and whitish ventral pelage. It was considered endemic to China, but its presence was recorded in northern Myanmar in 2000. It is a herbivore, and forages on shrubs and forbs. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species. The Red List of China's Vertebrates has listed the Yunnan hare as near threatened, almost meeting the criteria to be listed as vulnerable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burmese hare</span> Species of mammal

The Burmese hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian highland hare</span> Species of mammal

The Ethiopian highland hare or Starck's hare is a medium-sized species of mammal in the rabbit and hare family, Leporidae. Its dorsal pelage is grizzled, buff white and spotted and streaked with black, while its belly fur is pure white and fluffy. It is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, ranging over the Afroalpine regions of the Shoa, Bale, and Arsi Provinces of Ethiopia. A herbivore, it mostly feeds on moorland grasses. The IUCN rates it as a species of least concern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarkand hare</span> Species of mammal

The Yarkand hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, straight, sandy brown dorsal pelage which has grayish-black stripes, and completely white ventral pelage. Endemic to China, the Yarkand hare is restricted to the Tarim Basin in Southern Xinjiang, China. It is mainly nocturnal, and forages on grass and crops. The female produces two or three litters annually, each consisting of two to five young. It is rated as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species and by the Red List of China's Vertebrates. However, Chinese geneticists have stated the species is "endangered" due to limited habitat and its fragmentation, and over-hunting and poaching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas's pika</span> Species of mammal

Thomas's pika, also known as the Thomas-pika, is a species of small mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae. The fur on its upper body is reddish brown in summer, and mouse grey in winter. It is a generalist herbivore threatened by habitat loss, being found on isolated peaks of the eastern Qilian Mountains in Qinghai, Gansu, and northwestern Sichuan, in China. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species assessed the animal as insufficiently known in 1994, as near threatened in 1996, and as a species of least concern in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dice's cottontail</span> Species of mammal

Dice's cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama, in páramo and cloud forest habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolai hare</span> Species of mammal

The tolai hare is a species of hare native to Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northern and Central China. It inhabits semi-desert, steppes, rocky habitats, and forest meadows. It is relatively common, even in areas with heavy human disturbance, due to its fast reproductive rate. It is mainly active at dusk and at night but is occasionally active during the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert hare</span> Species of mammal

The desert hare is a species of hare found in Central Asia, Northwest China, and the western Indian subcontinent. Little is known about this species except that it inhabits grassland and scrub areas of desert and semi-desert. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corsican hare</span> Species of mammal

The Corsican hare, also known as the Apennine hare or Italian hare, is a species of hare found in southern and central Italy and Corsica.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Smith, A.T.; Johnston, C.H. (2019). "Lepus oiostolus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T41283A45188432. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T41283A45188432.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. Hoffman, R.S.; Smith, A.T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 201–202. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. 1 2 3 Smith, Andrew T.; Xie, Yan; Hoffmann, Robert S.; Lunde, Darrin; MacKinnon, John; Wilson, Don E.; Wozencraft, W. Chris (2010). A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press. p. 290. ISBN   978-1-4008-3411-2.