Planning a trip to Rietvlei Nature Reserve? Download opspoor to see recent sightings in the park and log your own.
When to see Springhare in Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Springhare are most active at night (19:00 to 05:00). Much of their activity falls outside gate hours, so the first drive after the gates open and the last hour before they close give you the best chance.
This is Springhare's general behavior. Once enough sightings are logged in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, this page also shows when they're actually seen here.
About the Springhare
The springhare is a distinctive nocturnal rodent of southern and eastern Africa, adapted to open grassland and semi-arid environments. It has a compact body, extremely long powerful hind legs, short forelimbs and a long balancing tail, giving it a kangaroo-like appearance despite not being closely related to kangaroos. It feeds mainly on grasses, seeds, roots and other vegetation. Springhares are generally solitary and spend daylight hours sheltering in burrows before emerging at night to forage and make long bounding leaps.
How to identify the Springhare
Large, rabbit-like rodent with very long powerful hind legs, short forelegs, large eyes and long upright ears. The coat is sandy-brown to reddish-brown with a paler underside and a long bushy tail.
Other species to look for in Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Other parks where you can see Springhare
Heading to Rietvlei Nature Reserve? opspoor shows where Springhare have been logged recently and lets you log your own, even with no signal.