Bonnie Schumann
Meet the woman behind the efforts to save one of South Africa’s most endangered mammals: the riverine rabbit.
How did you get involved with riverine rabbit conservation? In 1989, I did the practical component of my Diploma in Nature Conservation in the Karoo and fell in love with the region. When the opportunity to join the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) came along, I jumped at the chance.
What is the current conservation status of the riverine rabbit? It’s critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. There are an estimated 250 – 300 breeding pairs left in the Nama Karoo and an unknown number in the Succulent Karoo. There have been sightings around Robertson, Touws River and Barrydale, but we’re still working to determine their distribution in those areas. The Anysberg Nature Reserve in the Western Cape, where the presence of rabbits was only confirmed in 2013, is the only formal conservation area that is home to the species. The riverine rabbit is an indicator species. If they flourish, it shows that an ecosystem is in good health. When their numbers dwindle, it shows that an area isn’t being managed properly.
Why is the rabbit so endangered? It’s mainly due to habitat loss. Riverine rabbits live in scrubs
on alluvial soil, near seasonal rivers. The females dig a burrow in the soft river sand to give birth. Unfortunately the soil near rivers is very fertile and thus used for agriculture. Farming, together with overgrazing, destroys the rabbit’s habitat. Unlike other rabbits, the riverine rabbit is also slow to reproduce: The female gives birth to only one or two babies at a time and we suspect this only happens a few times a year. Of course, it’s also at the bottom of the food chain…
What kind of research is being done in the Karoo? We’re looking at the demography, ecology and distribution of the rabbit, working with farm owners in four rabbit conservation areas: Sak River, Brak River, Krom River and Wagenaarskraal. We’re using camera traps to determine the size of the populations in those areas. We also started an indigenous nursery in Loxton, where we grow plants specific to the riverine regions.
How do I identify a riverine rabbit? Its most striking feature is a black line that runs diagonally across each cheek. It has broad hind feet, a white ring around each eye and a brown tail. (Scrub hares and Cape hares have black-and-white tails.) The ears of a riverine rabbit are also comically large in proportion to the rest of its body. The red rock rabbit (also called Hewitt’s red rock rabbit) looks a lot like the riverine rabbit, but it’s mostly found in stony hills, not on riverbanks.
How can I help? If you come across a riverine rabbit, take photos of the whole animal, plus close-ups of its face, feet and tail if possible. Send your photos to bonnies@ewt.org.za with a description of where and when you saw the animal. Or go to weg.netwerk24.com/ go, type “riverine rabbit” into the search field and download an info form. Fill in the form and e-mail it to us. Even if the rabbit is dead, Bonnie can learn a lot about its genetic make-up should she reach it soon enough. To donate, go to ewt.org.za and use the reference DCP-UN-RES.