Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Terry Robinson Matthew Child Conrad Matthee
Reviewers: Charlotte Johnston Andrew Smith

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

This species is confirmed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Distribution

Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare is endemic to southern Africa (Happold 2013). It is a widely distributed species that occurs in the southern and eastern regions of South Africa (including portions of Western Cape, Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, and Mpumalanga), as well as Lesotho and western parts of Eswatini  (Matthee et al. 2004).

Population trend

Trend

Populations are considered fairly abundant throughout its distribution (Happold 2013), but rarely collected (Lynch 1989). Population for Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare has been estimated at >10,000 mature individuals (Matthee et al. 2004). The population is characterized as having declined in the past, and is predicted to continue declining in the future at a rate of <10% over the next 20 years (Matthee et al. 2004).

Threats

The main threat to rock hares is hunting, both for bushmeat and for sport. Hunting pressure is thought to be more severe in areas of high-density human settlements. For example in Lesotho, it is threatened due to hunting pressure from herders with pack dogs (Lynch 1994). Additionally, agricultural and rural settlement expansion may be increasing incidental predation on rock hares by domestic dogs. Hunting is suspected to be causing local declines (and possibly local extinctions), but it is uncertain whether there is a net decline in the population. Long-term monitoring should be established to quantify subpopulation trends.

Uses and trade

This species is hunted for meat and sport. It is likely to be fairly important in subsistence communities where they are easily obtained. Malieha (1993) specifically mentioned rock hares as being an important bush meat item in Lesotho and in Zululand, but this is likely to be true throughout its range. As a fairly slow-moving species, they are easily hunted with dogs. At night, they have a tendency to freeze when chanced upon in spotlights and can be easily shot or captured in nets (B. Wilson pers. obs.). During the day, it is also possible to hunt them in their refuges, using a coiled piece of barbed wire that hooks and drags the animal out of its shelter (B. Wilson pers. obs.). While having a particularly warm and thick fur, pelts from these species are prone to hairslip and do not cure well, making them unsuitable for hardwearing fur items.

Conservation


References 

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}
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}
,@article{136713,
 author = {Lynch, C.D.},
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}
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}
,@inbook{136713,
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 author = {},
 booktitle = {<i>Pronolagus saundersiae</i> (Hewett, 1927) Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare},
 editor = {Johnston, C.H.},
 pages = {113--114},
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 title = {_Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares of the World},
 year = {2018}
}
,]
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