Endangered Animals of Asia
Ryukyu rabbit
Description
- Mammal
- "Dense and wooly fur"
- 45.1~45.2 cm in length
- Tail is 15 mm
- Makes clicking sounds/calling noises to alert others
- Bulky body
- Long claws for digging their homes underground
text:
IUCNRL, see Yamada, and Sugimura www.iucnredlist.org
TAF, see Carruthers http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html
photo:
WIKIM, see http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Black_rabbit.JPG
Why Is It Endangered?
- Less than 5,000 rabbits left
- No sub-species of Ryukyu rabbit
- Rabbit only lives on two small islands
- Prey to cats, dogs, and mongooses
- Logging
- Natural Monument in 1921 -Japan
- Special Natural Monument 1963 -Japan
- Listed in Endangered Species Act in 2004
IUCNRL, see Yamada, and Sugimura www.iucnredlist.org
TAF, see Carruthers http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html
A mother Ryukyu Rabbit out at its cave. LF, see http://www.oocities.org/echaecha/animale-kurousagi2.jpg
A mother Ryukyu Rabbit patting down the entrance to young rabbit's home. LF, see http://www.oocities.org/echaecha/animale-kurousagi3.jpg
A young Ryukyu Rabbit exploring the outside of its home. LF, see http://www.oocities.org/echaecha/animale-kurousagi4.jpg
Food Chain
- Herbivore
- Forests
- Papmas grass, sweet potato stems, bamboo shoots, nuts, berries, leaves, acorns, bark
Is it a predator?
- No
- Dogs, cats, mongooses
text:
ARK, see Pintus http://www.arkive.org/amami-rabbit/pentalagus-furnessi/
TAF, see Carruthers http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html
photo:
FLI, see Herels http://www.flickr.com/photos/hereistom/8431266852/in/photostream/lightbox/
Habitat
- Amami-Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture
- Dense primary forest
Home:
- Burrows beneath forest valleys
Climate:
- Tropical
text:
IUCNRL, see Yamada, and Sugimura www.iucnredlist.org
map:
WIKIM, see Churmendy http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amami_Rabbit_area.png
Adaptation
- "Hunts" alone
- Follows well-worn trails
- Nocturnal
- Only eats grass, fruits (herbivore)
ARK, see Pintus http://www.arkive.org/amami-rabbit/pentalagus-furnessi/