The Riverine rabbit is one of the world's rarest mammals. The conservation status of this Karoo rabbit has been raised from endangered to critically endangered in 2003. This means that there are less than 250 adult riverine rabbits left and that the population is showing a continued drop in numbers.

Ten Southern African mammal species are regarded as critically endangered. This includes the black rhinoceros, four kinds of mole and two bat species. The populations of riverine rabbits and red bush squirrels are, however, the only Southern African mammal species that are in such extremely dire straits world wide.

The Riverine rabbit is endemic to the central Karoo Desert of South Africa's Cape Province. It occurs only in dense riverine scrub in the alluvial floodplains of the seasonal rivers in the central Karoo Desert. The normal distribution of this rabbit includes towns like Sutherland, Fraserburg and Victoria West.

The attractive Riverine rabbit is easily identified by a distinctive white ring around each eye and a black stripe running from the corner of its mouth over its cheek. The Riverine rabbit weighs up to 1.9 kg. Contrary to what is commonly believed about rabbits, Riverine rabbits breed very slowly. They have a breeding rate of only 1-2 young per year. Births occur during August through to May.

It is the only African rabbit where the female prepares an underground burrow for her young. This nest is lined with grass and fur. The Riverine rabbit is predominantly a browser eating flowers and leaves from shrubs. Grasses are included in the diet when these are available in the wet season. They are nocturnal, feeding at night and resting during the day.

The most devastating threat to the Riverine rabbit is the loss of its habitat. This is due to overstocking of sheep, erosion and land cultivation. The alluvial floodplain soil of its habitat is very good for cultivation compared with other soils found in the dry Karoo. Other threats to the Riverine rabbit's survival include overgrazing and hunting. They also easily become prey to traps that are indiscriminately laid. Stray dogs, and the making of firewood along the riverbeds, threaten the survival of this small mammal.

The only way to secure the long term survival of a species is to protect its natural habitat. An awareness program among the farmers of the central Karoo has been instituted. Since the rabbit is found only on privately owned farms, its survival depends on the willingness of landowners to adopt farming methods to reduce over-grazing and other harmful practices in the riverine habitat. Some Karoo farmers have declared their farms Natural Heritage Sites to protect the riverine habitat and rabbit.

The Riverine Rabbit working group, under the auspices of Endangered Wildlife Trust, was recently established to actively promote and facilitate the conservation of the riverine rabbit through a co-operative and inclusive process. A captive breeding colony is run at the De Wildt Cheetah Research Station, outside Pretoria. Plans are afoot to reintroduce rabbits bred in this colony to suitable habitat where they no longer occur.

Unless drastic steps are taken to save the situation, there is a 50/50 chance that this species, with its unenviable status, may disappear from the face of the earth completely within the next decade.