Lepus peguensis Blyth 1856

34.

Burmese Hare

Lepus peguensis

French: Liévre du Pégou / German: Burmesischer-Hase / Spanish: Liebre de Birmania

Other common names: Siamese Hare

Taxonomy. Lepus peguensis Blyth, 1856,

“Pegu,” Upper Pegu, Burma (= Myanmar).

It was placed as in the genus Caprolagus and subgenus Indolagus. Formerly, L. peguensis included L. hainanus, which received species status. Lepus peguensis needs taxonomic clarification. A third subspecies (siamensis) is under discussion to be a valid species. It has been suggested that L. peguensis is conspecific with L. nigricollis because of its close resemblance to L. n. ruficaudatus. Nevertheless, L. n. ruficaudatus appears to live allopatrically with L. peguensis from eastern India to western Myanmar. A study of dental characteristics concluded that separate species status of L. peguensis was equivocal. As taxonomists are still trying to clarify the species differentiation in Lepus, the subspecific taxonomy is not elaborated yet. The original descriptions of the subspecies are often not very helpful as they are mostly based on few exterior characteristics and small numbers of individuals. It has been shown that the variability is clinal in more careful investigations. Hence, the distinction in subspecies might be arbitrary and unreasonable. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

L. p. peguensisBlyth, 1855 — C & SMyanmarfromtheChindwinRivervalleyStoNMalayPeninsula.

L. p. vassali Thomas, 1906 — Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and S Vietnam.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 400-590 mm, tail 55-84 mm, ear 80-90 mm, hindfoot 96-110 mm; weight 2.2-5 kg. The Burmese Hare is medium-sized and closely resembles the Indian Hare (L. nigricollis). Dorsal pelage is reddish gray, mixed with black and grayer on rump. Ventral pelage is white. Ears are rather large with distinct black tips. Tail is black above and white below. Feet vary, being white in Burmese specimens and fulvous in Thailand specimens.

Habitat. Lowlands, land cleared for crops, and dry wasteland. The Burmese Hare occurs in sandy regions along the coast in Malaya and southern Vietnam, butit lives in forest clearings in lalang grass (Imperata cylindrical, Poaceae) or around hill tribe villages in Thailand. Numbers of Burmese Hares are especially high in grass and shrub vegetation of seasonally exposed large river channels. In Thailand, they live in rain/ flood-fed low-intensity rice fields but avoid irrigated multi-croprice fields. A collection expedition in Thailand in 1940 recorded the Burmese Hare at an elevation of 1300 m on Mount Inthanon. Nevertheless, numerous field surveys have not recorded it above 700 m, so an upperlimit of 1300 m is questionable. Burmese Hares spend the day in forms located under bushes orin tall grass.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Burmese Hare includes grass, bark, and twigs.

Breeding. The Burmese Hare might have several litters per year. Litter sizes are 1-7 young (typically 2-4 young). Gestation lasts 35-40 days. Young are born in open grassy areas and are fully furred with eyes open.

Activity patterns. The Burmese Hare is crepuscular and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Burmese Hare usually lives alone and is territorial. Individuals become very aggressive during the breeding season, and they fight with forefeet or kick with hindfeet.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Burmese Hare is widespread and common, with an overall stable population. Its distribution probably includes northern and central regions of Laos, because signs ofits presence in the wild and fresh kills in markets have been noted (but only to the genus level). Its distribution in Myanmaris largely speculative, and it might be more restricted there. Habitat of the Burmese Hare is probably expanding due to forest clearing, but it occurs in populationsisolated by forest cover. It is heavily hunted, but this does not seem to be a major threat. Extension of irrigated rice fields destroys habitat in some areas. Habitats in Laos and Vietnam are regularly burned during the dry season (February—May), which might pose a threat to young unable to avoid fire. Recommendations are to clarify taxonomy, distribution, and behavior of the Burmese Hare.

Bibliography. Allen & Coolidge (1940), Angermann (2016), Duckworth (1996), Duckworth, Steinmetz & Pattanavibool (2008), Duckworth, Timmins et al. (1994), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1955), Evans et al. (2000), Flux & Angermann (1990), Gyldenstolpe (1917), Hoffmann & Smith (2005), Kloss (1919), Lekagul & McNeely (1977), Lissovsky (2016), Petter (1961), Pfeffer (1969), Suchentrunk (2004), Van Peenen (1969). Wroughton (1915).