Mammals Most active at dawn and dusk

Cape Hare

Lepus capensis

iNaturalist Wikipedia

The Cape Hare is a master of the open plains, using its incredible speed and oversized ears to stay one step ahead of predators across Africa and Asia.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Body length of 40-60 cm (16-24 inches); weight ranging from 1.5-4.5 kg (3.3-9.9 lbs)

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Colors

Grizzled grey-brown or tawny upperparts with fine black ticking; crisp white underbelly and throat; distinctive black-tipped ears

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Key Features

Extraordinarily long ears with prominent black tips
Large, amber eyes with a pale whitish ring
Strong, elongated hind legs built for high-speed sprinting
White tail with a broad black stripe along the upper surface

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Most active at dawn and dusk

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Peak hours 6 PM - 6 AM

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Season Year-round

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Diet A strict herbivore that grazes on various grasses, succulents, and herbs, often switching to bark and twigs during dry seasons.

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Habitat Open environments including grasslands, semi-deserts, savannas, and agricultural field edges.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Cape Hare Live?

The Cape Hare is a remarkably adaptable survivor with a vast native range that spans the majority of the African continent, excluding only the densest tropical rainforests. Beyond Africa, its territory extends across the Arabian Peninsula and into the Middle East, reaching as far east as the Indian subcontinent. It is most commonly encountered in the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern and Eastern Africa, where it has successfully colonized both wild scrublands and the fringes of human agricultural developments.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

9 Countries

25M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

ZA South Africa KE Kenya ET Ethiopia Saudi Arabia IN India Egypt Israel BW Botswana NA Namibia

Elevation range

0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m

Sea level – 2,000 m

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Cape Hare is a solitary and largely nocturnal mammal, though it is frequently seen during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. Unlike rabbits, they do not live in burrows; instead, they rely on 'forms'—shallow depressions in the ground or under thickets where they lie perfectly still, using their cryptic coloration to blend into the soil and dry grass. When a predator gets too close, they utilize an explosive burst of speed, zigzagging at up to 60 km/h (37 mph) to evade capture.

While usually quiet and reclusive, their social behavior becomes more visible during the breeding season. You might witness the famous 'boxing' behavior, where individuals spar with their front paws; this is often a female rebuffing the advances of an overeager male. In areas near human habitation, they are generally shy but can become accustomed to quiet garden environments if there is plenty of cover and no roaming dogs.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of a Cape Hare, camera placement is everything. Because they are low-slung animals, mount your camera no higher than 30-40 cm (12-15 inches) off the ground. Angle the lens slightly upward if you are placing it on a slope. Position the camera along the edges of open clearings or along well-worn 'game paths' in tall grass, as hares prefer to navigate along established routes where they have a clear line of sight for escape.

Hares are notoriously skittish and have excellent hearing and vision. Use a camera with 'No-Glow' or 'Black' infrared LEDs. Standard 'Low-Glow' infrared can emit a faint red glimmer that may spook a Cape Hare, causing it to bolt before you get a good shot. Set your trigger speed to the fastest possible setting—ideally under 0.3 seconds—because these animals move with startling quickness once they decide to leave.

Since Cape Hares are most active during the night and twilight, focus on optimizing your night-vision settings. A 'High Sensitivity' PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor setting is recommended to detect their heat signature against the cooler night ground. If your camera supports it, use a 'Burst Mode' of 3-5 photos per trigger; the first photo might catch just a nose, but the subsequent shots often capture the full body as they hop past.

Avoid using traditional food baits, which often attract predators like jackals or domestic dogs that will scare the hares away. Instead, look for their 'forms'—those small depressions in the dirt—and place your camera several meters away facing the spot. If you have a vegetable garden, placing the camera near the perimeter where they might slip under a fence is a guaranteed way to see them in action during the night.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Cape Hare.

Scrub Hare

Larger in size with a distinctive reddish-brown patch behind the ears and more white on the underparts and legs.

African Savanna Hare

Lacks the black tipping on the ears and typically has a more yellowish-brown coat rather than the Cape Hare's grey-brown.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Hares are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the night and the 'golden hours' of dawn and dusk. You are most likely to see them on camera between 6 PM and 6 AM.

The best way to attract Cape Hares is to provide a mix of open lawn for grazing and thick, low-lying shrubbery for cover. Avoid using pesticides on your grass, as they prefer grazing on natural clover and indigenous grasses. Keeping domestic dogs indoors at night will also make them feel much safer visiting your property.

Cape Hares are herbivores with a diet consisting mainly of grasses and forbs. In more arid environments, they will supplement their diet with succulents to stay hydrated, and they have been known to chew on bark or twigs during harsh dry seasons when green grass is scarce.

Yes, they are quite common in suburban areas that border open fields, golf courses, or natural parklands. They are highly adaptable and often move into quiet gardens at night to feast on well-watered lawns and ornamental plants.

While similar, the Cape Hare is generally smaller than the Scrub Hare. The most reliable way to tell them apart is the color of the ears and legs; the Cape Hare has a more uniform grizzled appearance, whereas the Scrub Hare often shows a more distinct white patch on the elbow and a warmer, more rufous (reddish) tone on the back of the neck.

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