Megapedetes

The **giant springhare** (*Megapedetes giganteus*) is a species of springhare in the family Pedetidae that originally lived in Africa, southwestern Asia, and southeastern Europe from the Miocene to the Pliocene and the genus itself was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced throughout the modern open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, and scrublands across Africa and Eurasia to help boost biodiversity. The giant springhare is a large, relatively low-crowned (brachydont) pedetid with short, mostly fused roots under its teeth. There is no gutter surrounding the incisive foramina (openings in the front part of the palate). The giant springhare is more robustly built than in *Pedetes* and in another relative of the springhares, *Parapedetes*. Unlike in *Pedetes*, the first metatarsal (a foot bone) is present. The giant springhare is the world's largest living springhare, with adults averaging 4.2 feet (1.2 meters) in length, including the tail, and weighs about 7 kilograms (15.2 lbs) on average, although reports of slightly larger specimens are not uncommon, especially in agricultural lands. The giant springhare feeds on less rough vegetation than *Pedetes* does, and only occasionally feeds on insects such as beetles or locusts and even carrion. As in other springhares, the giant springhare is a burrowing animal. It prefers to dig its own burrows on well-drained sandy or dry soils, but can burrow through somewhat wet soil, especially during the spring in the northern hemisphere. Giant springhares are mainly nocturnal animals, who forage during the night and retreat to a burrow during the day, but may become diurnal or crepuscular with fewer predators present. While sleeping in their burrows, giant springhares sleep standing, with their head and forelimbs bent down in between their hindlegs, and their tail wrapped around their feet. These animals are predated upon by a variety of predators, including humans. Giant springhares breed throughout the year in Subsaharan Africa, although they breed during early-to-mid spring in the northern hemisphere, and have a gestation period of about 77 days. The females give birth to a single young about three times a year. Moreover, females can be lactating and in the early stages of pregnancy at the same time. Their ability to reproduce year-round in Africa is thought to be attributable to their highly selective diet (choosing only the best parts of the plant), their wide range of foods available to them (above and underground), and their behavioural and physical adaptations to living in arid and semi-arid conditions. Giant springhares give birth in a burrow to furred young. Giant springhares usually give birth to a single young, but birthing twins is known to occur. While the young remains at the burrow, the mother stops the usual behaviour of moving burrows every couple of days. She is bound to the burrow where her young is, who depends entirely on her milk. The young stays in the burrow for approximately seven weeks until they attain a body weight of approximately 2.9 kilograms. The extended period of parental care may help mitigate a birthrate that is, among rodents, remarkably low. The conservation status of the giant springhare is **Least Concern** due to successful conservation efforts, the giant springhare's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.