A survey of a newly-discovered population of the endangered riverine rabbit at Touwsrivier in the Western Cape has left conservationists delighted with the results.
The rabbit, endemic to South Africa, is listed as critically endangered on the international Red Data List, which means that less than 250 adults are known to survive worldwide.
In fact, according to co-ordinator of Cape Nature Conservation’s riverine rabbit conservation project, Anita Wheeler, only 150 have been recorded over the past five years at sites scattered across the central Karoo.
However, a five-day survey in January of the recently-discovered population on Bijstein private nature reserve some 150 km north-east of Cape Town, counted 22 more rabbits.
Nineteen of the animals were recorded in the first few hours of the survey.
”We were so flabbergasted,” said a delighted Wheeler on Thursday. ”We never had rabbits jumping up in front of us every five minutes. It was an incredible experience.
”It shows us that it’s a healthy population, which makes us very happy.”
She said a typical day of rabbit-counting in other areas would yield from two to five rabbits, and that would involve walking from dawn to late afternoon.
The Bijstein count was carried out by a team of 18 conservation officials, three of whom were on horseback.
Several other farms in that district were also evaluated but no rabbits or suitable habitat were found.
CNC says genetic studies — carried out without harming the rabbits –have confirmed that the Touwsrivier population is unique and has no connection to those in other areas.
The initial sightings at Bijstein were about six months ago.
Previously, the last recorded sighting of a riverine rabbit south of the N1-highway was in the Beaufort West area some 20 years ago.
The rabbit occurs only in shrublands on alluvial soils along seasonal rivers, and according to CNC, without formal protection of its natural habitat is in danger of extinction.
A major cause of the dwindling numbers has been degradation of habitat through overstocking of sheep, bush encroachment, cultivation, erosion and alien invaders.
Predators, floods, climate change and disease, lack of collaboration from landowners and inappropriate land use have also contributed.
A captive breeding programme has been attempted but without success. — Sapa