These hares, like other species of hares and rabbits indigenous to Pakistan, are highly vulnerable to predators such as wolves, foxes, wild cats, birds of prey and, unfortunately, to humans too

ONE hardly expects to see hares racing across the desert but this is exactly what they do, when disturbed, in the sand-hill deserts to the west of the might River Indus, in the Salt Range and Kala Chitta Hills, to name but a few of the localities in which they are still to be found.

Scientifically called lepus nigricollis sub-species dayanus or, in English, simply a ‘hare’, the ones found in Pakistan tend to be pale brown in colour and do not have the distinctive black ‘collar’ as worn by their parent species which is, because of this, sometimes referred to as a ‘black hare’.These hares, vegetarians that they are, can make a nuisance of themselves in crop lands but really prefer to remain on the absolute fringes of farmland and as far away from humans as they possibly can, which, due to rapid population expansion throughout the country, is no longer as easy as in the days of yore.

On the smallish side as compared to other hares, this slender limbed animal has exceptionally long, broad ears and highly developed hind legs that allow it to race away, at the slightest disturbance, at the speed of light. It can still, however, also be seen in places including the interior of Sindh, Lasbela, Bahawalpur, Cholistan, Thal, Thar and here and there in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Agricultural expansion has greatly reduced this hare’s natural habitat and, despite being considered makrooh (detestable) by many Muslims, it is still hunted for sport. Interestingly, just like the indigenous aboriginal tribes of Australia, some Sindhi tribes traditionally hunted these hares with special throwing sticks although, it is understood, this no longer happens.

Aside from during the breeding season when they naturally pair up, these hares tend to be solitary creatures and lay claim to their own particular territory and will fight intruders in a kick-boxing manner. Tending to rest up during the day in shallow holes scrapped out of the earth or sand, they prefer to graze on rather tough grasses, during the hours after sunset and around dawn.

Mainly breeding during spring and summer, although they do, depending on local climatic conditions, sometimes breed around the year. The females are known to give birth to just two to four young several times a year. The gestation period varies from approximately 42 – 44 days and the baby hares instinctively know not to move a muscle when their mother moves away in search of food, leaving them, completely undefended.

These hares, like other species of hares and rabbits indigenous to Pakistan, are highly vulnerable to predators such as wolves, foxes, wild cats, birds of prey and, unfortunately, to humans too. n

These hares, like other species of hares and rabbits indigenous to Pakistan, are highly vulnerable to predators such as wolves, foxes, wild cats, birds of prey and, unfortunately, to humans too.