Pictures and facts about the Spring hare

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Spring hare

Order : Rodentia
Suborder : Sciurognathi
Family : Pedetidae
Species : Pedetes capensis

A Springhare (Pedetes capensis) looks like a kangaroo, because of the long tail, long hind legs and shorter front legs. As its name implies, it is an enthusiastic jumper, and can jump up to 2 meters in a single jump. Technically though, Springhares are rodents, not hares. The head is short and rounded, they have big eyes, with ears that are both upright and narrow.

A Springhare grazes and its diet mainly consists of grass. Every so often, one would eat some roots and leaves, they could also consume wheat and oats. Their natural predators are owls, snakes and jackals. The typical Springhare could give birth all throughout the year, and the female would have 3.6 liters annually on the average. Young are born with hair all over their bodies and it would take at least 3 days before the eyes would open.

Springhares are principally nocturnal but they could be up and about in the daytime too. At day times, they stay in tunnels which they themselves make. Experts have studied that two individuals could reside in many burrows at different times. Actually, they usually form 3 burrows close together forming a circle. A burrow is ordinarily set near the biggest tree.

These rodents are hunted in South Africa, being thought of as a significant food source. In the wild, they could be said to be solitary, but if captured, they could co-exist peacefully.

Interesting fact: They do not drink water, they just get moisture from dew and the rain.

Facts about the spring hare

Hare & Man: Spring hares are hunted for food and their fur. (Full text)

Spring hares are to some degree used as food by African people similarly as the common hare is still hunted all over the world. (Full text)

Introduction The vernacular name of this creature is misleading, since the Spring Hare is in fact a rodent, and not a hare. (Full text)

html Spring Hare: The vernacular name of this creature is misleading, since the Spring Hare is in fact a rodent, and not a hare. (Full text)

The pedetes capensis is basically the single known species of spring hares from the single genus of the Pedetidae family. (Full text)

The Springhare, or Springhaas (Pedetes capensis) is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia; it is the only species in its family Pedetidae. (Full text)

(Coe, 1969) The Springhare, or Springhaas (Pedetes capensis) is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia; it is the only species in its family Pedetidae. (Full text)

The body length of Pedetes capensis is 35-45 cm, and the tail measures 37-48 cm. (Full text)

Spring hares are found locally in the semi-arid steppes and dry savannas of Kenya and Tanzania, as well as in southwestern Africa. (Full text)

The spring hare is about the size of a common hare, but it has bushy black-tipped tail about 20 inches long that provides balance for leaping. (Full text)

The springhaas, Pedetes capensis, is capable of breeding throughout the year in the Orange Free State province of South Africa and fetuses of all sizes were found throughout the year. (Full text)

[click for more]SciurognathiSommeromysSouthern Bog LemmingSpalacidaeSpringhareThe Springhare, or Springhaas (Pedetes capensis) is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia; it is the only species in its family Pedetidae. (Full text)

The positions of the Castoridae, Geomyoidea, Anomaluridae, and PedetidaeThe Springhare, or Springhaas (Pedetes capensis) is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia; it is the only species in its family Pedetidae. (Full text)

Spring Hare Spring Hare in the news The Spring Hare (Pedetes capensis) is the only species in the family Pedetidae. (Full text)

The springhare (Pedetes capensis) is a large rodent that resembles a small kangaroo. (Full text)