The Amami rabbit, aka Amami wild black rabbit, Amami no-kuro-usagi, or Ryukyu rabbit, hails only from the 2 small islands of Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima. They prefer young and mature forests with access to pampas grass and acorns. Due to habitat destruction at the hands of residential and commercial development; deforestation due to the logging and pulp industries; roads dividing their territory and resulting in vehicle strike (being hit by vehicles); dam construction that floods their habitat; recreational activities; and invasive species (and with them disease, predation, and competition for food), these critters are listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Their numbers are also decreasing.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Pentalagus furnessi
Weight: Up to 6.6 lbs.
Length: Up to 20 inches, plus up to a 1.4 inch tail
Lifespan: Up to 10 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) A living remnant of the ancient rabbits that once thrived on the Asian mainland, where they eventually died out, these rabbits are referred to as living fossils.
2.) There are only an estimated 5,100 wild specimens remaining on the 2 islands.
3.) Amami rabbits are nocturnal (active at night).
4.) These rabbits, while typically silent, can produce a call that sounds like that of a pika.
5.) They are preyed on by mongooses, dogs, cats, owls, and snakes.
But wait, there’s more on the Amami rabbit!
6.) The Amami rabbit consumes the young shoots, sprouts, and acorns of approximately 29 species of plants.
7.) These rabbits reproduce up to 2 times a year.
Did you know…?
In 1921, Japan officially declared the Amami rabbit as a “natural monument” which prevented it from being legally hunted.
8.) Females undergo up to an estimated 39 day gestation (pregnancy).
9.) The female births up to 3 kits each breeding session.
10.) These rabbits are known to be promiscuous (males and females have multiple partners).
Now a Short Amami Rabbit Video!
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