habitat_narrative
Terrestrial
Springhares are the largest, hopping rodent species in southern Africa. With long back legs and short forelegs, they are kangaroo-like in appearance. With their long hind legs, they can reach speeds of 8.5 km / hour and jump distances of 0.8 m which is essential to avoid predators, a large number of which have been recorded utilising this species as prey. Despite their name, Springhares are neither hares nor rabbits, but are rodents and are placed in their own unique genus. They have a sandy, cinnamon-coloured pelt, with a long bushy tail ending in a dark brown or black tip. Whilst there is some size variation regionally, the only significant colour variation recorded previously is from a very dark, almost melanistic, individual in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History (Butynski 2013b). More recently in 2010, a similar specimen, almost jet-black, was collected near Cradock in the Eastern Cape and is now housed in the McGregor Museum collection (B. Wilson unpubl. data).With the exclusion of deserts and forested areas, the Springhare has a wide distribution in flat, arid and semi-arid areas. Pans and pan fringes can be considered optimum habitat. They prefer relatively flat and open habitats with short grass (in particular Cynodon spp.; Monadjem et al. 2015), usually where there is little or no woody vegetation (Smithers 1971; Butynski & Mattingly 1979; Butynski 1984, 2013b; Augustine et al. 1995; Anderson 1996; Skinner & Chimimba 2005). They are generally absent from areas of tall grass, dense woodland and Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) or miombo (Brachystegia spp.) where the soils are clay and poorly drained (Butynski 2013b). The species is a prolific burrower, remaining in any one burrow for only a few consecutive days (Peinke & Brown 2005) and, as such, is largely dependent on the presence of deep, compact, sandy soils that are suitable for burrowing into, and is absent from areas where the substrate is harder or unsuitable for burrowing (Smithers 1971; Butynski & Mattingly 1979; Coetzee 1979; Anderson 1996; Skinner & Chimimba 2005; Peinke & Brown 2006). Springhare also do well in areas that have been disturbed by cultivation and/or heavy grazing (Smithers 1971; de Graaf 1981; Augustine et al. 1995; Skinner & Chimimba 2005; Peinke & Brown 2006; Butynski 2013b). They are grazers feeding mainly on green grass seeds which are high in protein and water, but will also selectively feed on grass stems, leaves, corms, roots and rhizomes. As highly selective feeders, Springhare often uproot entire plants, feed on only chosen sections and discard the remainder (Skinner & Chimimba 2005).
The species is almost exclusively nocturnal, but is sometimes encountered in the late afternoons during winter months. They forage in groups of two to six individuals, however, group adhesion is not persistent, and members may join and leave with little reaction from others (Butynski 1984). Activity patterns are noticeably influenced by moonlight intensity, where they are known to forage much further from burrows (up to 400 m) during new moon cycles, and remain closer to burrows (about 30 m) at periods of full moon (Anderson 1996). Springhares are non-territorial (Anderson 1996). Passive scent marking by means of a perianal gland takes place during feeding episodes, causing scent highways that the animal uses to locate its burrow quickly (Anderson 1996). This can be applied inside the burrow as well. Springhares are non-seasonal breeders, giving birth to one young after a gestation of an average of 77 days, and thus has a slow reproductive rate for a rodent (Butynski 1979; van der Merwe et al. 1980; Monadjem et al. 2015). Females may reproduce up to three times per year. Fatherhood is ensured by the depositing of a sperm plug into the female, thus preventing other males from impregnating that specific female (Anderson 1996). Its home range varies greatly between different individuals from 0.3 ha up to 28 ha (Peinke & Brown 2005). Burrows can cover an area of 170 m2, displacing approximately one ton of subsoil in the process (Anderson 1996). Burrows are occupied by a single animal or a mother and kitten.
Ecosystem and cultural services: This species is a keystone species in many of the ecosystems in which it occurs (Butynski 2013b). As such, the long-term survival of the species needs to be ensured. Firstly, Springhare burrows provide shelter and core areas for foraging for at least 20 other mammal, three bird, six reptile and 22 invertebrate species (Anderson 1996; Skinner & Chimimba, 2005). These include other threatened species such as Temminckâs Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) and Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) (B. Wilson unpubl. data). The use of Springhare burrows by other species is particularly common in semi-arid regions of the Northern Cape, where burrows provide stable micro-environments away from extreme ranges in temperature and humidity (Skinnner & Chimimba 2005).
Additionally, Springhares are an important prey component within the food chains of all ecosystems in which they occur. From various studies on the species, Anderson (1996) and Skinner and Chimimba (2005) reported at least 20 mammals, seven birds and four reptiles as having preyed upon Springhares. One highly interesting case involved active hunting of Springhare by a pair of Bateleur Eagles (Terathopius ecaudatus) in the Kalahari, and this probably took place during late afternoon or moonlit nights (Anderson & Maritz 1994).
