The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) or teporingo or conejo zacatuche is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. It is the world's second smallest rabbit, second only to the Pygmy Rabbit. It has small rounded ears, short legs, and short, thick fur. Volcano Rabbits live in groups of 2 - 5 animals in burrows. Unlike many species of rabbits, the Volcano Rabbit utters very high-pitched sounds instead of thumping its feet on the ground to warn other rabbits of danger. It is nocturnal and is highly active during twilight, dawn and all times in between. The Volcano Rabbit weights approximately 390 - 600 g (0.86 - 1.3 lb). As of 1969, there were 1000 - 1200 in the wild. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes... Families The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... Binomial name Romerolagus diazi ( Ferrari-Perez, 1893) The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, found in many parts of the world. ... Binomial name Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. ... A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ...

Habitat

The Volcano Rabbit lives in Mexico. The rabbit has been pushed into areas on the slopes of the Iztaccíhuatl, Pelado, Popocatepetl, and Tlaloc volcanoes. The Volcano Rabbit is generally found between elevations of 2800 m and 4250 m in pine forests with a dense undergrowth of bunch grass and rocky terrain. It is also found in secondary alder forests. Most of the areas where the rabbit is found have winter drought and summer rains with an average annual precipitation of about 1500 mm. In its burrows it maintains a system of runways in the tussocks of grass it inhabits. The volcanic sierras on which this rabbit is found form part of a feature called the transverse neovolcanic axis. Iztaccíhuatl (alternative spellings include Ixtaccíhuatl or either variant spelled without the accent) is the third highest mountain in Mexico, after Pico de Orizaba (5,610m) and Popocatépetl (5,452m). ... Popocatépetl (commonly referred to as Popo) is an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico after Pico de Orizaba (5,610m). ... Smoking Bromo and Semeru (background) volcanoes on Java in Indonesia. ... Species About 115. ... Any grass of the poaceae family that grows in clumps or tufts may be called bunch grass. ... Species About 20-30 species, see text. ...

Diet

The Volcano Rabbit feeds on green leaves in zacaton grasses, the undeveloped leaves of spiny herbs and the bark of alder trees. During the rainy season, it will also eat oats and corn from crops.

Reasons for Decline

The most serious threats to the Volcano Rabbit are habitat degradation and target shooting. A variety of factors appear to be responsible for the continued degradation of the rabbit's habitat. These include forest fires, overgrazing by cattle and sheep, encroachment by development (both from the expansion of Mexico City as well as additional rural settlements near the rabbit's core habitat) and agriculture, over-exploitation of timber and cutting of zacaton grasses for thatch and brush manufacture. Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México, México D.F. or simply México, pronounced /mexiko/ in IPA) is the capital and largest city of the nation of Mexico. ...

Habitat Management

The IUCN/SSC Lagomorph Specialist Group has created an action plan for this rabbit (Fa & Bell, 1990). The plan focuses upon the need to manage the burning and overgrazing of the zacaton habitats and to enforce laws prohibiting the capture, sale and hunting of the animal. Studies are recommended into the geographical range, habitat relationships, population dynamics and life history (Fa & Bell, 1990). In addition, habitat restoration and the establishment of zacaton corridors to link core areas of habitat are needed. Captive breeding colonies exist at Jersey Zoo, UK and Chapultepec Zoo, Mexico City (Olney & Ellis, 1993).

References

• Lagomorph Specialist Group (1996). Romerolagus diazi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 05 May 2006. Listed as Endangered (EN A1abc+2bc, B1+2bcd+3abc, C1+2a v2.3)

McCollum, Austin. "Volcano Rabbit." Endangered Species of the World. April 13, 2006: 50-51. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...