It is hard to guess what a South African springhare weights. But we have the answer:
An adult South African springhare (Pedetes capensis) on average weights 2.55 kg (5.62 lbs).
The South African springhare is from the family Pedetidae (genus: Pedetes). It is usually born with about 253 grams (0.56 lbs). They can live for up to 14.5 years. When reaching adult age, they grow up to 88.6 cm (2′ 11″). Usually, South African springhares have 1 babies per litter.
As a reference: An average human weights in at 62 kg (137 lbs) and reaches an average size of 1.65m (5′ 5″). Humans spend 280 days (40 weeks) in the womb of their mother and reach around 75 years of age.
The South African springhare (Pedetes capensis), or springhaas in Afrikaans, is not actually a hare, but a rodent. It is one of two extant species in the genus Pedetes, and is native to southern Africa. Formerly, the genus was considered monotypic and the East African springhare (P. surdaster) was included in P. capensis. Though the species look alike at a casual glance, scientific study can easily determine which is which.
Animals with the same weight as a South African springhare
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Pedetes capensis:
- Marbled cat with a weight of 2.83 kilos (6.24 lbs)
- Granada hare with a weight of 2.33 kilos (5.14 lbs)
- Monk saki with a weight of 2.11 kilos (4.65 lbs)
- Humboldt’s white-fronted capuchin with a weight of 2.52 kilos (5.56 lbs)
- Virginia opossum with a weight of 2.46 kilos (5.42 lbs)
- Smith’s red rock hare with a weight of 2.25 kilos (4.96 lbs)
- Palawan stink badger with a weight of 2.5 kilos (5.51 lbs)
- Yellow-throated marten with a weight of 2.5 kilos (5.51 lbs)
- Red-rumped agouti with a weight of 3.02 kilos (6.66 lbs)
- Kinkajou with a weight of 2.45 kilos (5.4 lbs)
Animals with the same litter size as a South African springhare
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (1) as a South African springhare:
- Micronycteris nicefori
- Barasingha
- Blyth’s horseshoe bat
- Blyth’s vole
- Ashy black titi
- Large flying fox
- Goa (antelope)
- Marsh deer
- Red kangaroo
- Lesser spot-nosed monkey
Animals with the same life expectancy as a South African springhare
Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a South African springhare:
- Roe deer with an average maximal age of 17 years
- Giant otter with an average maximal age of 12.83 years
- Greater glider with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Clouded leopard with an average maximal age of 17 years
- Smooth-coated otter with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Common treeshrew with an average maximal age of 12.42 years
- Greater dwarf lemur with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Southern needle-clawed bushbaby with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Brush-tailed rock-wallaby with an average maximal age of 14.33 years
- Leopard cat with an average maximal age of 15 years