Details
Pedetes capensis
A large jumping rodent of southern African night grasslands, with long hind legs and a hare-like appearance.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Uses savanna, dry grassland, semi-desert, and sandy farmland where deep burrows can be dug.
Hind legs are very long and forelegs short. Large eyes and ears, a long black-tipped tail, and sandy-brown fur are distinctive.
It emerges at night and moves with kangaroo-like hops. By day it rests underground in burrows.
Grass, leaves, roots, and seeds are eaten, with crops and young shoots used in farmland.
Small litters are born in burrows. Young are relatively well developed and are protected by the mother.
Globally low-risk; hunting, floods, and changes to soils suitable for burrowing can matter locally.
