The Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is the 13th most endangered mammal in the world and gets its common name from its strict preference for inhabiting the dense vegetation that grows along the seasonal rivers that flow through the Central Karoo in South Africa.
The Riverine Rabbit is characterised by a distinct white ring around each eye as well as a dark line running from the corner of its mouth over its cheek, giving it an almost eerie Joker-like smile. The upper-parts of the rabbit are dark brown with black speckles, whilst the under-parts are light brown. The belly and throat sports cream coloured fur. The length of the head and body is 33.7-47.0 cm long and it weighs approximately 1.0-1.5 kg. The riverine rabbit is predominantly nocturnal and feeds predominantly on wildflowers that grow on the floodplains in the Karoo.
The existence of this critically endangered (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) mammal is threatened by continuing habitat loss, since the alluvial flood plains are ideally suited for agricultural purposes, with only a few hundred individuals remaining in the wild (Hughes et al., 2007). On top of this, these rabbits have long generation times and only produce 1-2 offspring per year, with the numbers of breeding pairs severely declining in the last 70 years (Duthie, 1989).
Conservation efforts concerning this EDGE species is coordinated by the Riverine Rabbit Programme (Drylands Conservation Programme) of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). The vision of these conservation bodies is to maintain a healthy and functional Karoo ecosystem that can support a stable population of riverine rabbits as well as other biodiversity in the region, whilst at the same time uplifting the socio-economic status of the local communities and land-owners.
