This rare Karoo rabbit was spotted in Sutherland for the first time in over 20 years!
Sutherland, Northern Cape (23 October 2026) – A critically endangered Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) has been photographed in the Sutherland area for the first time in over 20 years, the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) shares.
The image was captured by a camera trap that the CLT had set up to monitor its Mobi-kraal project, a mobile, predator-proof kraal. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Strategic Conservation Landscape team then positively identified the rabbit.
In two years, the camera recorded only two Riverine Rabbit images. The spot where it showed up was unusual.
“The location was also in a bit of an unusual spot, and the theory is that this rabbit moved to higher ground on these specific two days, due to the riparian area (their expected habitat) being flooded during this time. It showcases these incredible animals’ resilience and ability to adapt to changes in their environment – when the surrounding habitat is intact and allows for safe movement.”
Riverine Rabbits are generally known to live in dense patches of riverine bush along the seasonal rivers of the semi-arid central Karoo. They depend on deep, soft alluvial soils, and they’re the only indigenous burrowing rabbit in Africa.
They’re nocturnal and often solitary, and can jump very well when alarmed. They feed on shrubs and young grasses. Oh, and they get their Vitamin B by eating their droppings!
“Sometimes, a single camera trap image can tell us something incredibly important – and this one is a reminder that there is still so much to discover,” the CLT shares.
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