An ecological assessment of Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus (Mammalia: Lagomorpha: Leporidae) in Manas National Park, Assam, India

Manas National Park, Assam, holds the highest recorded density of Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus) at 381.55 individuals per km², significantly surpassing previous estimates from other regions. This rare lagomorph exhibits a clumped distribution pattern, favoring dense, dry savannah grasslands dominated by Imperata cylindrica and Saccharum narenga while avoiding recently burned or wet alluvial areas. The study, conducted between 2009 and 2010, employed transect surveys to assess presence through indirect evidence such as pellets in 20 grassland patches across 2.65 hectares. Key threats to the species—including habitat loss from overgrazing, unsustainable thatch harvesting, burning, weed invasion, encroachment, and hunting—were identified, underscoring critical conservation challenges for this threatened species within the UNESCO-listed Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

Nath, N. K., & Machary, K. (2015). An ecological assessment of Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus (Mammalia: Lagomorpha: Leporidae) in Manas National Park, Assam, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 7(15), 8195. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2461.7.15.8195-8204