Description:

The agile jackalope (Jackolopus agilis) is a hoofed lagomorph that evolved to fill the small ungulate niches left behind when gazelles and antelopes died off. The theory is that the Holocene extinction event caused the extinction of many ungulate species. Hoofed lagomorphs then outcompeted the Old World ungulates after the formation of the Mediterranean Mountains. This group's earliest member seemed to have originated in Europe and spread throughout the Old World during the middle Mellonticocene. The modern-day ancestor to this group appears to be the European hare (Lepus europaeus). They eventually outcompeted the small ungulates due to their higher reproduction rate. The jackalope clade (Jackolopinea) rose in Africa during the early Telocene and dominated the grasslands. The agile jackalope is a widespread member of the jackalope group. This jackalope fills a niche similar to a springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) or other gazelle species. This animal is light orange to yellow with a white underbelly. Between the underbelly, there is a black line that separates the two colors. The short bobtail is also black. They have two horns near the top of their head, which grow from the skull covered in keratin. They live about 10 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

Distribution:

This species of jackalope inhabit the dry grasslands, savanna, and shrublands throughout the African continent.

Diet:

Jackalopes tend to eat grasses, leaves, and other plants. Occasionally, they will eat fungi, but fungi species are uncommon in the Congo Savannah.

Social Behavior:

The agile jackalope is a social mammal that lives in small groups of up to 30 adults. These groups allow several animals to look for predators and other threats. If a jackalope spots a predator, the jackalope will produce a loud bark or yell. This call causes most of the jackalopes to take off and run. When these jackalopes take off in these herds, it is hard for predators to pick one out, which helps the majority of animals to survive. These groups are usually mixed-sex, with the females outnumbering the males. Males will often fight over the dominance of the group and the right to mate with females. The dominant male will be able to mate with all females in the group. Females have a short gestation time of four to five months. The young will stay in their groups but mix when some jackalope groups combine. These animals will also join each other during migrations, creating groups in the hundreds of thousands to millions. These massive herds are most often observed at the beginning of the dry season when most migrate to places with high amounts of grass.

Movement:

Unlike most hoofed mammals, these lagomorphs hop or spring to move around at high speeds. This trait is present in most smaller hoofed lagomorphs since their strong leg muscles make this locomotion more energy-efficient than running. However, they can still run to escape predators, which is faster but more energy-intensive. Their hopping also confuses predators when they are in large groups. When jackalopes hop in their herds, predators can often not keep track of one jackalope. This movement helps to defend the herd generally from predators. They are also, as their name suggests, agile. They can change directions quickly, which allows them to evade predators.