Least ConcernAardvark
Orycteropus afer
Mammals · Rodentia · Pedetidae
Pedetes capensis
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The springhare is not a hare but a rodent, and one of the most peculiar in Africa. It moves in hops on its hind legs, like a kangaroo in miniature, using its long, furry tail as a counterweight. It digs systems of burrows in sandy soils and comes out at night to graze fresh grass, never straying far from an entrance. It plugs the mouth of the tunnel from inside with earth when it rests. It is a fundamental prey species for carnivores and nocturnal raptors.
Weight
2.5 kg – 4 kg
Size
35 cm – 45 cm
Life expectancy
8 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Pedetes capensis
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 28.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Southern African Springhare — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Based on what we already know about southern african springhare.
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
