Pedetes surdaster, Thomas, 1902

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Pedetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 280-287 : 287

2.

East African Springhare

Pedetes surdaster

French: Springhaas du Kenya / German: Ostafrika-Springhase / Spanish: Liebre saltadora oriental

Other common names: East African Springhaas, East African Spring Hare

Taxonomy. Pedetes surdaster Thomas, 1902 ,

“Morendat, mile 365 of Uganda Railway, British East Africa [= Naivasha Province, Kenya]. Altitude 2000 m.”

Although many authors have considered this taxon as a unique species, it also has been frequently considered synonym of P. capensis . Molecular data and physiological differences between the two taxa support P. surdaster as distinct. Chromosome number of P surdaster (2n = 40) differs from that of P. capensis (2n = 38). Monotypic.

Distribution. SC & SW Kenya and N, W & E Tanzania, patchily distributed from Nakuru S to the area of Lake Rukwa; also one record from Uganda at Mount Moroto in the Uganda/Kenya border.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 336-457 mm, tail 390-484 mm; weight 2-7 kg (males) and 2 8 kg (females). East African Springhares are the only large saltatorial bipedal rodents in East Africa. They have thick skulls, with large orbits and tympanic bullae; they have large eyes and hypertrophied middle ears, with “hare-like” pinnae. Incisors are large, smooth and opisthodont, and cheekteeth are bilophodont and hypselodont; dental formula is I 1/1, C 0/0, P 1/1, M 3/3 (x2) = 20. East African Springhares are morphologically very similar to the Southern African Springhares ( P. capensis ), but they have shorter nasal bones, smaller auditory bullae, proportionately narrower incisors, and more vaulted braincases. East African Springhares have long soft coats; dorsal pelage is sandy, cinnamon, or reddish brown, and it becomes paler ventrally, from off-white to light yellow. Forelimbs are small; manus has five short digits with long, slightly curved claws, well suited for digging and manipulating food. Hindlimbs are long and very strong, with four toes with hoof-like nails. Long furry tail maintains balance while jumping. Two pairs of nipples occur on the thorax.

Habitat. Arid and semiarid savannas of eastern Africa. Like the Southern African Springhare, the East African Springhare prefers areas with well-drained sandy soil, with short-grass and flat open terrain where they can tunnel, run, and easily detect potential predators.

Food and Feeding. East African Springhares are highly selective and probably have a diet very similar to that of Southern African Springhares. They feed mainly on roots, rhizomes, corms, stems, leaves, and seeds of grasses, favoring the most moist and nutritious parts of plants. As for Southern African Springhares, the common grass Cynodon dactylon ( Poaceae ) appears to be widely consumed by East African Springhares. They may inadvertently ingest small invertebrates such as beetles or locusts. A single case of carnivory was reported for an East African Springhare apparently feeding on a carcass of a hare ( Lepus ) in Tanzania. East African Springhares feed at night and do not forage beyond 400 m from the nearest burrowing site.

Breeding. East African Springhares are solitary and polygamous. Little is known about their breeding, but itis supposed to be similar to that of Southern African Springhares. Pregnant females throughout the year suggest that breeding is not seasonal, as is the case in Southern African Springhares. East African Springhares have been found in ephemeral groups (c.40% of observations) or solitary (c.60%), similar percentages as Southern African Springhares in Botswana. Gestation of captive East African Springharesis ¢.78 days. Females give birth in a chamber of a burrow system, containing no nesting material. Subsequently, the mother cleans her young, chews the umbilical cord off nearits junction with the neonate, and eats the placenta. Weights of young at birth are 238-319 g (usually more than 238 g); lengths at birth of three captive individuals were 343 mm, 368 mm, and 375 mm. As in Southern African Springhares, young East African Springhares are born precocial, with most of their body covered by dense hair, semi-open eyes, and open and nearly erect ears; they are mobile and able to groom their face and head themselves. Similarly to the Southern African Springhares, young East African Springhares remain in burrows until they are weaned at about seven weeks old and weigh c.1.4-1.5 kg, after which they leave their burrows and start to feed aboveground. They can live up to 14 years in captivity.

Activity patterns. East African Springhares are nocturnal and terrestrial. Activity patterns of East African Springhares are thought to be very similar to those of Southern African Springhares. East African Springhares dig their own burrows, maintaining a complex system of passages with various entries for escaping from potential predators. For protection, they seal entrances and passageways after they are underground and frequently change burrows. They are solitary and usually live alone in their burrows, except for a female and her single young. When night comes, East African Springhares emerge carefully aboveground to forage; they usually do not roam far from their burrows, except during severe drought when they might be forced to move 10-40 km in search of food. They are fearful, with keen senses of smell and sight, and flee at the least sign of danger. East African Springhares are seen during the day only on rare occasions. Time of emergence from the burrow by East African Springhares depends on weather (they avoid cold, windy, and rainy days) and moon phases (darker the night, the farther away from their burrows they venture). They also forage in groups.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Little is known about the social life of East African Springhares. They are mostly solitary and show little social cohesion within temporal groups they form. Most often, individuals join and abandon groups without any interaction among group members. East African Springhares generally feed in groups near food sources and burrowing sites. In captivity, they live amicably and prefer to sleep together. East African Springhares are therefore able to display some structured social organization but seems to be impeded because of their nocturnal habits. Favorable areas, such as parts of the Rift Valley (Kenya) or in the Singida region in Tanzania, can support up to 40 individuals within a small area. Density of 24 ind/km? was recorded in Cynodon —Balanites grassland. East African Springhares can have widely overlapping home ranges, except when density is low. They do not defend territories, except for small areas in immediate vicinities of their burrows.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The East African Springhare occurs in a wide area of adequate and non-threatened habitats, including some protected areas. It is hunted, but there are no indications, pending more detailed studies, that it needs to be listed in a higher category on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Butynski (2013), Butynski & De Jong (2008b), Davies (1982), Kingdon (1974, 2015), Matthee & Robinson (1997a, 1997b), Monadjem et al. (2015), Nowak (1999d), Pearch (2004), Roberts (1951), Shortridge (1934a), Skinner & Chimimba (2005).

Figures

Distribution. SC & SW Kenya and N, W & E Tanzania, patchily distributed from Nakuru S to the area of Lake Rukwa; also one record from Uganda at Mount Moroto in the Uganda/Kenya border.