30. Bunyoro Rabbit Poelagus marjorita French: Lapin dAfrique / German: Buschkaninchen / Spanish: Conejo de Bunyoro Other common names: Uganda Grass Hare Taxonomy. Lepus marjorita St. Leger, 1929, “Near Masindi, Bunyoro [= Bunyuru], Uganda, 4000 ft [1219 m],” Africa. Formerly, P. marjorita was included in the rock hares (Pronolagus) and later in the genus Caprolagus. The genus Poelagus appears to lack diagnostic cranial features. Recent rigorous taxonomic investigations of P. marjorita are missing. Monotypic. Distribution. NE Central African Republic, S South Sudan, C & W Uganda, and NE DR Congo. Descriptive notes. Head-body 400-610 mm, tail 38-70 mm, ear 60-70 mm, hindfoot 65-108 mm; weight 2.3-3.2 kg. The Bunyoro Rabbit is medium-sized and has short ears. Dorsal fur, head, and ears are buffy brown and grizzled with black hairs. Flanks are paler, and ventral fur is yellowish buff. A white mid-ventral stripe runs down from chest (20— 30 mm wide) to lower abdomen (40-50 mm wide), extending posteriorly onto inner surfaces of hindlimbs. Chin and throat are white. Ears are short and have brown hairs on inner surfaces. Nuchal patch is rufous; juvenile Bunyoro Rabbits have deep rufous nuchal patches. Forelimbs and hindlimbs are brownish buff. Tail is short and has same color as dorsal fur above and onsides;it is paler below and often has some white hairs. Female and male Bunyoro Rabbits have glandularslits on both sides of their genitalia. Habitat. Primarily dense vegetation in woodland savanna, stony habitats, and hills with short grass. The Bunyoro Rabbit might also live in forests in southern Sudan. Food and Feeding. The Bunyoro Rabbit forages at night on flowers and sprouting grasses. It prefers to forage in pastures that have been grazed heavily by large mammals, newly mown fields, and burned areas with sprouting grasses. Breeding. Newly born Bunyoro Rabbits were recorded in January-March, June, August, and October in Garamba National Park, DR Congo. Juveniles were recorded in January/February, May, and August. These findings suggest that reproduction takes place during most (if not all) months of the year. Gestation is probably c.5 weeks, and litter sizes are 1-2 young. Young are born in short burrows, with entrances concealed by grass and soil. At birth, young are blind, covered with sparse short hair, and helpless. Ears of newborns are black and very short. Activity patterns. The Bunyoro Rabbit is primarily nocturnal and rests in a form during the day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Bunyoro Rabbit is probably solitary when resting in a form. It feeds in small groups consisting of pairs or females with young at night. Rocky habitats are often shared with Rock Hyraxes (Procavia capensis). Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCNRed List. The Bunyoro Rabbit seems to be widespread and does not appear to be in decline, although a recent survey proposes that its distribution is actually smaller than previous accounts have stated. Bunyoro Rabbits occur in several protected areas and are abundant in north-eastern DR Congo and southern Sudan. Unlike previous claims, there are no specimen records from Ruanda, Burundi, Kenya, southern Chad, southern DR Congo, or northern Angola. Little data are available on population densities, distribution, and conservation threats. Although grassland habitat is burned annually or biannually leaving Bunyoro Rabbits vulnerable to predators, burning also promotes growth of vegetation important in their diets. The Bunyoro Rabbit is hunted locally, and some of its habitat is used for cultivation of peanuts and rice. It is possible that no additional protection is required than the existing Garamba National Park and Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda). Bibliography. Collins & Smith (2008), Corbet (1983), Duthie & Robinson (1990), Happold (2013c), Happold & Wendelen (2006), Hatt (1940), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Kingdon (1974, 1997), Setzer (1956), Verheyen & Verschuren (1966).

Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Leporidae, pp. 107-148 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 125-126, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6625539