Smith's Red Rockhare

The Smith's red rock hare is the smallest member of the genus Pronolagus, measuring 43 to 65 cm (17 to 26 in) in length from head to tail, having a 5 to 11 cm (2.0 to 4.3 in) long bushy, dark to reddish brown tail with a black tip, and weighing 1.3 to 2 kg (2.9 to 4.4 lb). The upperparts and gular collar are reddish brown in color. The ears are grey, measuring 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 3.9 in) in length, and the hindfeet measure 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in) in length. It has a brownish forehead, with greyish buff cheeks. The sides of the face are gray, and the nuchal patch is reddish brown. It has pinkish buff coloured underparts, and some white in the mid-line of the abdomen. The hind legs and rump are bright reddish brown. It has warm, brown, grizzled, thicker hairs at the back of the body, and white to tawny, thinner underfur. The feet pads are covered by dense, greasy fur. The digits and claws are short and broad, and the limbs are russet, and the frontal bone measures almost the same as the snout. Possibly due to its diet, its flesh is aromatic. It is similar to the Jameson's red rock hare (P. randensis) which has shorter ears and a longer tail, and the Hewitt's red rock hare (P. saundersiae) which has a shorter snout bone than the frontal bone. (The latter is regarded as P. r. saundersiae by some authorities.)

The Smith's red rock hare is native to Africa, found in parts of Kenya (Rift Valley), Lesotho, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, South Africa (Northern Cape, Free State, and North West), Tanzania, and Zambia. It occurs on rocky slopes and tops of rocky outcrops, in stony countries where grass, rocks, and bush are intermingled. It inhabits ravines with boulders, hillsides, slabs of stones, and rock creaks which provide cover from predators.

While a nocturnal species, Smith's red rock hare occasionally comes out during early morning or late afternoon in places where it is not hunted. It is alert at most times, and usually hides prior to being seen. It can also exhibit rapid, startling manoeuvres which are depicted when chased by dogs. The Smith's red rock is observed to vocalize a series of loud, startling screams when running away at night, possibly to scare away predators or to warn other members of the species of potential threat. Despite not being restrained or in pain, it is known to produce shrill voices, contrary to most other leporids. The juvenile can produce churring sounds when caught in hand, and the adult can produce a barking sound when disturbed before sunrise. It is a folivore, and usually forages on grasses (such as sprouting grass), shrubs, and herbs. The Smith's red rock hare breeds from September to February. The female makes a nest out of vegetable debris lined with its fur. The nest is about 15 centimetres (5.9 in) wide, 10 centimetres (3.9 in) length, and 4 to 8 cm (1.6 to 3.1 in) deep. The female has a gestation period of about one month, and litters one or two children, each weighing 40 to 50 g (1.4 to 1.8 oz). The young are altricial at birth, and leave the nest at three years of age, when they weigh about 180 to 200 g (6.3 to 7.1 oz). …