Woolly Hare

The woolly hare (Lepus oiostolus) (Chinese: 高原兔; pinyin: Gaoyuan tu) is a thick-furred species of hare found in the montane grasslands of western and central China, northern India, and Nepal. It is a medium- to large-sized hare with fur that varies in colour with location, from sandy yellow to light brown. Among the Chinese hares, it has the largest ears. Whitish rings around the eyes and an elongated muzzle are distinctive features of the woolly hare. Being a nocturnal species, the hare will forage for grasses and herbs at night and rest under shelter during the day. Woolly hares are threatened by habitat destruction and are hunted for their meat and fur. Dense hare populations are reportedly sparsely distributed, and though it has a wide range and is present in some protected areas, it is a generally uncommon species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as a least-concern species, though it is considered endangered in India and listed as a protected wild animal in China. == Taxonomy and etymology == The woolly hare was described in 1840 under the scientific name Lepus oiostolus by the British zoologist Brian Houghton Hodgson, placing it in the existing genus…