Download Species of the Day: Amami Rabbit

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Species of the Day: Amami Rabbit
The Amami Rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi, is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of
Threatened SpeciesTM. Having evolved in isolation on two small Japanese islands lacking
mammalian predators, this heavy-bodied species has a very distinctive appearance.
Geographical range
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Owing to widespread habitat degradation brought about by logging and development, the
Amami Rabbit population has undergone a significant decline, with only four fragmented
subpopulations remaining. Since 1980, the amount of old growth forest on the islands of
Amami and Tokuno has declined by an alarming 70 to 90 percent. In addition, predation by
introduced mammalian predators, such as dogs, cats and mongooses, poses a further threat
to the survival of this species.
The Amami Rabbit is classified as a Japanese National Monument, and as such receives
protection from hunting and capture. However, habitat loss and invasive species are currently
the major threats to its survival, and the protection of remaining forests and management of
invasive species will be the key to securing the future of this unique rabbit.
Species of the Day
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The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership:
IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife
International, Conservation International, NatureServe and
Zoological Society of London.