The East African springhare (Pedetes surdaster ), is not closely related to the hare, which is a lagomorph, but is a member of the Pedetidae, a rodent family.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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starts withThe East African springhare resembles a small kangaroo and is about the size of a rabbit. It is mid-brown, has large erect ears, very short fore legs, and long powerful hind legs. It moves in bounds of up to 2 m and has a long tail fringed with black hairs which provides balance. It can sit up on its haunches like a squirrel.
This species is found in central and southern Kenya and most of Tanzania. A single specimen has been recorded in Uganda near the Kenya border, at Mount Moroto. It is found from sea level up to an altitude over 2,000 m.
The East African springhare is nocturnal and spends the day in an extensive system of burrows. It lives in semiarid grassland habitats. The diet is the green parts of plants, roots and other vegetable matter, and occasionally insects.