Amami rabbit
Quick Summary
The Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) is a species of mammal found exclusively in the forests of the Amami and Tokunoshima islands in southern Japan. This rabbit is distinguished by its black fur, a rarity among rabbit species. It is one of the 29 species belonging to the family Leporidae, which also includes hares, though rabbits and hares differ in size, life history, and habitat.1
Amami rabbits, like other rabbits, are herbivores with a diet primarily consisting of grasses and forbs. They possess adaptations for digesting cellulose, a complex plant carbohydrate, through a process involving symbiotic bacteria in their cecum and a unique double-digestion system.2
Unfortunately, the Amami rabbit is facing significant threats. Its population, estimated at around 5,400 individuals, is declining due to habitat destruction and predation by introduced mongooses and feral dogs and cats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers the species to be endangered.1
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