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Lepus castroviejoi
broom hare


By Austin Brose

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Lepus
Species: Lepus castroviejoi

Geographic Range

Lepus castroviejoi is an endemic species inhabiting a restricted range in northern Spain. They are found in the Cantabrian Mountains between Sierra de Ancares and Sierra de Pena Labra. The range is approximately 25 to 40 km by 230 km in size. Although the range is restricted, distribution is even and these hares are common throughout their range. (Wilson, 1993)

Biogeographic Regions
palearctic (Native )

Habitat

Range elevation
1000 to 1900 m
(3280.84 to 6233.60 ft)

Average elevation
1600 m
(5249.34 ft)

Broom hares inhabit elevations from 1,300 m to 1,900 m in the Cantabarian Mountains. They have been know to descend to lower elevations of about 1,000 m in winter to avoid snow. Much of the native habitat is heathland, mostly consisting of shrubs in the genera Erica, Calluna, and Vaccinium. There is also a fair amount of brush cover which consists of Cytisus, Genista, and Juniperus. Broom hares may spend additional time in mixed deciduous forest of oak and beech. Broom hares prefer to spend most of their time feeding at night in recently burned clearings. During the day, broom hares spend more time in dense vegetation. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996; Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996)

Habitat Regions
temperate ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes
savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; scrub forest ; mountains

Physical Description

Average mass
2.905 kg
(6.40 lb)

The average weight of a broom hare is 2905 g for adults. Broom hares are intermediate in size when compared to other hares occurring in Spain (Lepus europaeus and Lepus granatensis). The tail and ears are smaller than in both of these other species. Some skull characteristics are unique. One of these characters is a sutura nasofrontalis shaped in a typical open V. Broom hare coloration is similar to the other hares occurring in northern Spain, except that the pelage is usually more brownish-yellow. (Palacios, 1976)

Other Physical Features
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism
sexes alike

Reproduction

There was no information on mating systems available for broom hares. Reproduction may be similiar to their close relative Lepus europaeus.

Breeding interval
Breeding intervals for broom hares are unknown.

Breeding season
Broom hares probably breed during the warm season, although year round breeding is possible.

There is no information on reproduction available for Lepus castroviejoi. Reproduction may be similiar to its close relative, Lepus europaeus. The reproductive potential of broom hares is likely to be high because leporids are capable of having multiple litters during a breeding season. (Geldhamer, et al., 2004)

Key Reproductive Features
iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

There is little information available on parental investment in broom hares. Like most other rabbits, broom hare females probably care for and nurse their young for a brief period before they become independent. (Geldhamer, et al., 2004)

Parental Investment
precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female)

Lifespan/Longevity

The lifespan of broom hares is unknown. Lifespan may be similiar to that of Lepus europaeus.

Behavior

Broom hares are active at night and are rarely seen during the day. They move by saltatorial locomotion. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996; Geldhamer, et al., 2004)

Key Behaviors
terricolous; saltatorial ; nocturnal ; sedentary ; solitary

Home Range

Broom hare home range size is unkown. It may be similar to that of Lepus europaeus. (Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996)

Communication and Perception

There is no specific information on broom hare communication. Like other hares, broom hares have exceptionally well-developed hearing. They also use vision and chemical communication to assess reproductive status of conspecifics.

Communication Channels
visual ; chemical

Perception Channels
visual ; acoustic

Food Habits

Broom hares are herbivorous, but little is known about their specific diet or food preferences. They do prefer to spend their time foraging in recently burned areas and small clearings. They are hindgut fermenters, and use coprophagy to aid in recovering important nutrients. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996; Geldhamer, et al., 2004; Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996)

Primary Diet
herbivore (Folivore ); coprophage

Plant Foods
leaves; wood, bark, or stems

Other Foods
dung

Predation

Known Predators


Broom hares, like other hares, are important prey for many carnivores. Broom hares are mainly preyed on by foxes (Vulpes vulpes), wild cats (Felis silvestris), wolves (Canis lupus), large owls (Strigiformes), and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Humans also prey on broom hares. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

Anti-predator Adaptations
cryptic

Ecosystem Roles

Broom hares play a role in the ecosystem as a prey for many predators. They also impact vegetation communities through their browsing. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Broom hares are sometimes used as food for humans. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

Positive Impacts
food

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known adverse effects of broom hares on humans. They have the potential to cause crop damage if populations are high. (Geldhamer, et al., 2004)

Negative Impacts
crop pest

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [Link]
Vulnerable
More Information

US Federal List [Link]
No special status

CITES [Link]
No special status

State of Michigan List [Link]
No special status

There are many different factors that affect broom hare populations, including overharvesting, illegal hunting, habitat changes, and disease. As tree plantations increase in their native range, and cultivated areas decrease, these hares lose habitat. Currently there are no cases of diseases affecting broom hares, but many diseases affect their close relatives throughout Europe and are continously spreading. Poisoning is another potential problem, pesticides and chemical fertilizers have been known to affect some populations of L. europaeus, and broom hares could be affected as well. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

To ensure the persistence of broom hares, some actions must be taken to limit the threats stated above. The effects of hunting, predation and habitat changes should be further studied to determine the best solution. Hunting regulations should be changed to help further protect the broom hare. Care must be taken if hares are relocated or moved to insure they do not bring diseases with them. Habitat can also be improved by changing land use to increase the frequency of burning. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

The primary threats to broom hares currently are considered their limited distribution and excessive hunting on the western part of their range. (Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996)

Other Comments

Broom hares were described as a species in 1976, and are unique mammals found in a small range. They have two close relatives, Lepus europaeus and Lepus granatensis, that border their range. (Ballesteros, et al., 1996)

For More Information

Find Lepus castroviejoi information at

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

Austin Brose (author), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.

References

Ballesteros, F., J. Benito, P. Gonzalez-Quiros. 1996. Status, Management and Conservation of Broom Hare (Lepus castroviejoi) in the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwest of Spain). Proceedings of the International Union of Game Biologists XXII Congress "The Game and the Man", 1: 123-127.

Geldhamer, G., L. Drickamer, S. Vessey, J. Merritt. 2004. Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. New York, New York, United States: McGraw-Hill.

Lagomorph Specialist Group, 1996. "IUCN red list of threatened species" (On-line). Accessed October 12, 2006 at http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/11797/all.

Palacios, F. 1989. Biometric and Morphologic Features of the Species of the Genus lepus in Spain. Mammalia, 53 (2): 227-264.

Palacios, F. 1976. Description of a New Species of Hare (Lepus castroviejoi) Endemic of the Cantabrian Mountains. Acta Vertebrata, 3 (2): 205-223.

Wilson, D. 1993. Mammal Species of the World. Washington, USA: Smithsonian Institute.

To cite this page: Brose, A. 2007. "Lepus castroviejoi" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 01, 2012 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_castroviejoi.html

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

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