Mammals of the WorldTolai Hare
Lepus tolai
- Order
- Lagomorpha
- Family
- Leporidae
- Genus
- Lepus
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- Iran|Afghanistan|Turkmenistan|Uzbekistan|Tajikistan|Kyrgyzstan|Kazakhstan|Russia|China|Mongolia
- Realm
- Palearctic
About this species
- Size
- Approximately 400–590mm
- Weight
- 1.7–2.7kg
- Diet
- Seeds, roots, and other plant matter
- Habitat
- Semi-desert, steppe, rocky ground, grassland, and river valleys
- Range
- Central Asia, including much of Mongolia
The tolai hare is a Central Asian hare weighing about 1.7–2.7kg and measuring roughly 400–590mm. Its coat varies through yellow, brown, and grey, and its long ears end in black tips. Compared with the European hare it is generally smaller and adapted to drier country. Accurate identification should combine size, locality, coat, and ear pattern because several hares overlap in parts of Mongolia. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It is native across much of Mongolia and other parts of Central Asia, using semi-desert, steppe, rocky ground, grassland, and river valleys. Tolai hares are mainly active at dusk and night, although young animals and feeding adults may appear by day. Seeds, roots, and other plant material are eaten. The Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment maps it widely through Mongolia's Altai and Gobi-Altai ranges. (Wikipedia; Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment)
Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)