Photo credit: Tamara Riola Paradela
The Tehuantepec Jackrabbit, Lepus flavigularis, is listed as ‘ENDANGERED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Found only in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where it has been reduced to just four small, isolated populations, the Tehuantepec Jackrabbit is considered the most endangered hare species in the world.
The main threats to this species are hunting for food and sport, ongoing habitat loss, conversion of grasslands to agriculture, pasture or settlement, habitat degradation by human-induced fires, and the spread of exotic grasses. The small remaining population, estimated at fewer than 1,000 individuals, also has low genetic variation, which may potentially lead to problems associated with inbreeding.
Although listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ within Mexico, conservation laws are not properly enforced, and the areas the species inhabits receive no formal protection. Further research is needed on the Tehuantepec Jackrabbit, and captive breeding has also been suggested. However, without better control of hunting and urgent action to protect remaining habitat, this highly threatened mammal faces an uncertain future.
Geographic Range of the Tehuantepec Jackrabbit
Credit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
To learn more about the Tehuantepec Jackrabbit, click here. Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.
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