View source for Volcano rabbit

{{Short description|Species of rabbit}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Volcano rabbit
| fossil_range = [[Priabonian]]–recent<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /><br />{{Fossil range|35|0|earliest=38}}
| image = Romerolagus diazi - Zoologico de Chapultepec, Ciudad de México - Cropped2x.jpg
| image_caption = [[Chapultepec Zoo]], [[México City]]
| image_alt = A small, round rabbit sitting in leaf litter underneath grasses
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status" />
| status2 = CITES_A1
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = <ref name="CITES1973" />
| genus = Romerolagus
| parent_authority = [[Clinton Hart Merriam|Merriam]], 1896
| species = diazi
| authority = ([[Fernando Ferrari-Pérez|Ferrari-Pérez]] in A. Díaz, 1893)
| range_map = Romerolagus diazi distribution.svg
| range_map_caption = Volcano rabbit range
| synonyms = {{bulleted list|''Lepus diazi'' <small>([[Fernando Ferrari-Pérez|Ferrari-Pérez]] in A. Díaz, 1893)</small>|''Romerolagus nelsoni'' <small>[[Clinton Hart Merriam|C. H. Merriam]], 1896</small>}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="mdd" />
}}

The '''volcano rabbit''' ('''''Romerolagus diazi''''') ({{Langx|es|conejo de los volcanes}}), also known as the '''teporingo''' or '''zacatuche''', is a small [[mammal]] in the family [[Leporidae]] that resides on the slopes of [[Volcano|volcanoes]] in [[Mexico]]. It is the [[Monotypic genus|only species]] in the [[genus]] '''''Romerolagus'''''. It has small rounded ears, short legs, a large forehead, and short, thick fur. It is one of the world's smallest rabbits. The volcano rabbit lives in groups of 2 to 5 animals in burrows (underground nests) and runways among bunchgrasses. Up to 3 young are produced per litter, born in nests formed from shallow depressions in the ground lined with fur and plant matter.

Uniquely among the rabbits, the volcano rabbit emits high-pitched sounds to warn other rabbits of danger, a habit common in the related [[Pika|pikas]]. It is awake and most active in the evening and early morning. Populations have been estimated as approximately 7,000 adult individuals over their entire range. Human developments surrounding the volcano rabbit's habitat, including [[overgrazing]], hunting, and burning of the species' preferred [[scrublands]] have caused significant declines in population, even in [[Protected area|protected parks]]. Both the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] and the [[Federal government of Mexico|Mexican government]] consider the volcano rabbit an [[endangered species]], and it is listed on Appendix I of the [[CITES]] treaty, which is intended to restrict trade of the animal.

== Taxonomy and etymology ==
''Romerolagus diazi'' was first described by the head of the Mexican Geographical and Exploring Commission, [[Fernando Ferrari-Pérez]], in 1893 as a member of the [[Hare|hares]] (genus ''Lepus''), using the [[scientific name]] ''Lepus diazi'' and common name {{Lang|es|conejo del Volcán}} (volcano rabbit).<ref name="Miller-1911" /> The [[species name]] ''diazi'' honors the Mexican [[cartographer]]<ref name="Lamego1975" /> Agustín Díaz, who published the work where the species was first described.<ref name="Diaz1893" /> Its [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] was "near [[San Martín Texmelucan|San Martín Texmelusán]], northeastern slope of [[Iztaccihuatl|Volcán Iztaccíhuatl]] [Ixtaccíhuatl, Puebla], Mexico".<ref name="Cervantes-1990-1" /><ref name="msw3" /> It was separately described as the Popocatepetl rabbit, ''Romerolagus nelsoni'', in 1896 by American zoologist [[Clinton Hart Merriam]] in an account that made no reference to the earlier work of Ferrari-Pérez. The article noted a type specimen that was collected at "[[Popocatépetl|Mt. Popocatepetl]], Mexico (altitude 3,350&nbsp;meters or 11,000&nbsp;feet)" by [[Edward William Nelson]], an American naturalist for whom the species was named. Merriam noted several characteristics that differed significantly from any member of the hares, such as its anatomy and means of [[Locomotion in mammals|locomotion]] (running on all four legs rather than hopping), and gave it the [[genus]] name ''Romerolagus'' in honor of [[Matías Romero]], a supporter of the United States Biological Survey in Mexico.<ref name="Merriam-1896" /> American zoologist [[Gerrit Smith Miller Jr.]] noted the discrepancy between the two descriptions and, after consulting with Nelson and Ferrari-Pérez in 1911, clarified the nomenclature of the species by using the name ''Romerolagus diazi'' and making ''Lepus diazi'' a [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] of it.<ref name="Miller-1911" /> From this point up until the 1950s, the [[Binomial nomenclature#Authority|authority]] of the species was attributed to Díaz alone; biologist Paulino Rojas Mendoza argued in 1952 that the correct name under [[International Code of Zoological Nomenclature]] rules would be one that credits Ferrari-Pérez as well,{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|pages=33-34}} which has been accepted ever since.<ref name="Cervantes-1990-6" /> The current scientific name and authority of the volcano rabbit is ''Romerolagus diazi'' (Ferrari-Pérez in A. Díaz, 1893).<ref name="mdd" />

The volcano rabbit is named for its preferred habitat, that being the slopes of [[volcano]]es. One [[Nahuatl]] name, {{Lang|nah|zacatochtle}}, refers to the rabbit's relationship with subalpine [[tussock grass]] in the genus ''[[Festuca]]'' (referred to as {{Lang|es|zacate}} in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], {{Lang|nah|zacatl}} in Nahuatl). The name comes from the combination of {{Lang|nah|zacatl}} and {{Lang|nah|tochtle}} ({{gloss|rabbit}}), and has been modified to the currently-used epithet ''zacatuche'' ({{gloss|grass rabbit}}).<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /><ref name="Cervantes-1990-6">{{Harvnb|Cervantes|Lorenzo|Hoffmann|1990|p=6}}</ref> Another common name, ''teporingo'', likely derives from [[Classical Nahuatl]], combining {{Lang|nci|tepētl}} ({{gloss|mountain}}), {{Lang|nci|olīn}} ({{gloss|movement}}) and the [[suffix]] ''-''{{Lang|nci|co}} referring to location.<ref name="Carlos-2009" />

=== Phylogeny ===
No subspecies of the volcano rabbit are recognized,<ref name="msw3" /><ref name="iucn status" /> and it is the [[Monotypic genus|only species]] within its genus.<ref name="Cervantes-1990-1" /> No [[Fossil|fossils]] of the volcano rabbit are known,<ref name="PaleobioDB">{{cite web |title=''Romerolagus'' Merriam 1896 (volcano rabbit) |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=txn:105484 |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=[[Paleobiology Database]]}}</ref> but analysis of its morphology and genetic records<ref name="Lopes-Cuamatsi-2022" /> indicate that it is the most [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]], or most primitive, species among the [[Leporidae|leporids]], first appearing during the [[Late Eocene]].<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> The species has high [[genetic diversity]] and is separated into five [[haplogroup]]s (lines of descent based on specific [[Allele|alleles]]) across its distribution; these groups appear to have some level of [[gene flow]] between them due to the short distance between populations.<ref name="Osuna-2020" /> The volcano rabbit's [[sister clade]], the group that makes up the species' closest relatives, includes the [[European rabbit]] (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') and the [[hare]]s (in genus ''Lepus'').<ref name="Lopes-Cuamatsi-2022" /> The following [[cladogram]] is based on [[mitochondrial genome]] analysis of the volcano rabbit, the European rabbit, the [[snowshoe hare]] (''Lepus americanus''), and the [[black-tailed jackrabbit]] (''Lepus californicus''),<ref name="Lopes-Cuamatsi-2022" /> as well as a broader [[phylogenetic tree]] produced by biologist Leandro Iraçabal Nunes and colleagues:<ref name="Iraçabal-2024" /> 
{{cladogram|{{clade
 |1={{clade
  |1={{clade
   |1={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1={{clade
       |1={{clade
          |1=''[[Caprolagus]]'' (hispid hare)
          |2=''[[Pentalagus]]'' (Amami rabbit)
          }}
       |2=''[[Sylvilagus]]'' (cottontail rabbits)
       }}
      |2=''[[Lepus]]'' (hares)
      }}
     |2=''[[Oryctolagus]]'' (European rabbit)
     }}
    |2='''''Romerolagus''''' ('''volcano rabbit''')
    }}
   |2={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1=''[[Pronolagus]]'' (Red rock hares)
     |2=''[[Poelagus]]'' (Bunyoro rabbit)
     }}
    |2=''[[Nesolagus]]'' (striped rabbits)
    }}
   }}
   |2=[[Ochotonidae]] (pikas)
  }}
 |2=
}}|align=left|title=Leporid [[phylogeny]] minus unstable taxa (''Bunolagus'', some members of ''Sylvilagus'')<ref name="Iraçabal-2024" /><ref name="Lopes-Cuamatsi-2022" />}}{{Clear}}

== Characteristics ==
[[File:Taxidermied romerolagus diazi.JPG|thumb|right|A taxidermied volcano rabbit|alt=A photo of a leaping taxidermied rabbit in a small diorama]]
The volcano rabbit is one of the smallest rabbits in the world,<ref name=sbh64 /> having an adult weight that ranges from {{Convert|386|to|602|g|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> and a total length of {{Convert|23.4 to 31.1|cm}}. Its ears are small and rounded, measuring less than {{Convert|4|cm}} in length,<ref name="Álvarez-Castañeda-2024" /> and the hind feet are short, measuring {{Convert|4.2 to 5.5|cm}}.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> Its small size relates to its selective dietary habits.<ref name="Fa-1992" /> The volcano rabbit's fur is short and dense.<ref name="Chapman" /> Its fur is yellowish brown across all of its body, but is softer on the rabbit's underside.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> This is a result of [[Agouti (coloration)|agouti]]-like coloration, with each hair being black at the base and tip and [[antimony yellow]] in the middle.{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|page=51}} The dark coloration of the volcano rabbit's fur blends in with the volcanic soils in its habitat, an adaptation that may help it evade predators.<ref name="sbh64">{{Harvnb|Schai-Braun|Hackländer|2016|p=64}}</ref> Its coat does not change color from one season to the next, though it does undergo [[Moulting|molting]] over the course of the year. First, hair is lost, then [[melanin]] disappears, then melanin is deposited at the site of hair loss, after which hair regrows.<ref name="Velazquez 1993 62–69" /> The volcano rabbit strongly resembles [[pika]]s, closely related mountain-dwelling [[lagomorph]]s.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" /> 

The skull of the volcano rabbit has small triangle-shaped projections from the [[brow ridge]] towards the back of the head.<ref name="Cervantes-1990-2">{{Harvnb|Cervantes|Lorenzo|Hoffmann|1990|p=2}}</ref> It has a long [[palate]], and a distinctly separated [[interparietal bone]].{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|pages=39-40}}<ref name="Álvarez-Castañeda-2024" /> Like other leporids, it has a [[dental formula]] of {{DentalFormula|upper=2.0.3.3|lower=1.0.2.3|total=28}}—two pairs of upper and one pair of lower [[incisor]]s, no [[Canine tooth|canines]], three upper and two lower [[premolar]]s on each side, and three upper and lower [[Molar (tooth)|molars]] on either side of the jaw.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" />{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|page=40}} The [[zygomatic bone|cheekbone]]s are wide, larger towards the back of the head, and the [[auditory bulla]]e (bony structures that enclose the external structure of the ear) are large compared to those of other [[leporid]]s.{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|pages=39-40}}—larger than the [[foramen magnum]] (the hole at the base of the skull that the [[spinal cord]] passes through).<ref name="Álvarez-Castañeda-2024" /> The [[clavicle]] is complete and connects directly to the [[sternum]],<ref name="Cervantes-1990-1" /> which is on average smaller than that of other rabbits and hares.<ref name="Velazquez 1993 62–69" /> The central part of the sternum is segmented into 3 parts, which are articulated with 6 pairs of the [[ribs]]. The rabbit's [[navicular bone]] is short and does not extend below the [[metatarsal bones]].{{sfn|Rojas Mendoza|1952|page=39}} Its [[pelvis]] is strongly curved, more so than any other rabbit.<ref name="Velazquez 1993 62–69" /> The rabbit's [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] features, specifically the arrangement of its teeth, resembles that of several extinct leporids from the [[Tertiary period]], including {{extinct}}''[[Nekrolagus]]'', which lived during the [[Pliocene]].<ref name="Cervantes-1990-1">{{Harvnb|Cervantes|Lorenzo|Hoffmann|1990|p=1}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat ==
[[File:Volcán Popocatépetl.jpg|thumb|alt=Photo of a snow-covered volcano in the daytime with pine trees in the foreground|[[Popocatépetl]], one of four volcanoes around which the volcano rabbit lives. Forests of ''[[Pinus hartwegii]]'', a preferred species of the rabbit, can be seen around the volcano.]]
Volcano rabbits are endemic to Mexico.<ref name="Velazquez" /> Specifically, the rabbit is native to the alpine [[scrubland]]s surrounding four volcanoes ([[Cerro Tláloc]], [[Popocatépetl]], [[Iztaccíhuatl]], and El Pelado) just southeast of Mexico City<ref name="Velazquez 1994 743" /> in an area of only {{convert|386|km2}}.<ref name="Lopes-Cuamatsi-2022" /> The largest of these volcanic regions is within the [[Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park]], with other areas including the Chichinautzin and Pelado volcanoes.<ref name="researchgate.net" /><ref name="youtube.com" /><ref name="Velazquez 1994 743" /> Historically, the volcano rabbit likely occupied larger areas within the [[Sierra Nevada]] and [[Sierra Chichinautzin]] mountain ranges.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> The range of the volcano rabbit has since been [[Habitat fragmentation|fragmented]] into 16 (later 19) individual patches<ref name="iucn status" /> across these volcanoes due to human disturbance.<ref name="Velazquez" /> Volcano rabbits are commonly found at altitudes between {{convert|3150|and|3400|m}}, but can occur anywhere from {{convert|2800|to|4250|m}}.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" />

The soil of the volcano rabbit's habitat consists mostly of [[andosol]]s and [[Orthent|lithosol]]s, and the vegetation includes [[Nearctic]] and [[Neotropical]] varieties.<ref name="Velazquez" /> The local climate is temperate, subhumid, and has a mean annual temperature of {{convert|9.6|C}}. Annual rainfall averages at about {{convert|1500|mm|in}}.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" /> The plants ''[[Festuca tolucensis]]'' and ''[[Pinus hartwegii]]'' are abundant in volcano rabbit habitats.<ref name="Velazquez" /> The species prefers habitats with tall, dense vegetation from a variety of "{{lang|es|zacatón}}" bunch grasses, such as ''[[Muhlenbergia macroura]]'' and ''[[Festuca amplissima]]''.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" /> Volcano rabbits show strong preferences for open [[pine]] forests, open pine woodland, and mixed [[alder]] and pine forest habitats.<ref name="Fa-1992" /> Human activity in the area has had a great impact upon the habitat of the volcano rabbit,<ref name="Velazquez" /> as its habitat has been fragmented by highways, farming, [[afforestation]], and unsound fire and grazing practices.<ref name="researchgate.net" /><ref name="youtube.com" /><ref name="Velazquez-1993" /> A study on the [[effects of climate change]] upon volcano rabbit populations concluded that fluctuations in climate affected rabbits more on the edge of their habitable range.<ref name="Anderson-2009" />

The volcano rabbit was once considered to live on the volcano [[Nevado de Toluca]], and a specimen was collected there<!-- (Nevado de Toluca, 4 km S, 2 km W Raíces, 3350 masl) --> in 1975<ref name="researchgate.net" /> by mammalogist Ticul Álvarez,<ref name="Alvarez2003" /> but research conducted by Jurgen Hoth and colleagues in relation to its distribution in 1987 found no records of the species there.<ref name="researchgate.net" /> There was a sighting of a single rabbit in the region in August 2003, but no permanent volcano rabbit colony has been documented around Nevado de Toluca since then, and it was declared [[Extinction|extinct]] within this portion of its range in 2018.<ref name="Mexiconewsdaily" /> Populations exist elsewhere within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and in captivity.<ref name="researchgate.net" /><ref name="Hoth, J 1987" /><ref name="gob.mx" /> As of 2019, the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] no longer mentions the Nevado de Toluca as a current or potential site for the distribution of this species.<ref name="iucn status" />

== Behavior and ecology ==
The volcano rabbit lives in groups of 2 to 5 individuals, and creates runways similar to those made by [[Arvicolinae|microtine rodents]] to navigate their habitat. Its burrows consist of tunnels with the entrances hidden under dense grass clumps<ref name="Cervantes-1990-4">{{Harvnb|Cervantes|Lorenzo|Hoffmann|1990|p=4}}</ref> or in cracks in the soil, and can have a length of up to {{convert|5|m}} and depth of up to {{convert|40|cm}} under the soil's surface.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> These burrows may have other entrances to allow for escape, and the tunnels often weave around rocks and roots. Volcano rabbits may opportunistically use burrows abandoned by other mammals, such as [[gopher]]s and [[badger]]s,<ref name="Cervantes-1990-4" /> as do other rabbits<ref name="Beever-2018" /> besides the European rabbit.<ref name="h202"/> It has very developed hind limbs relative to its body size, which correlates to a need to make evasive actions. It is relatively slow and vulnerable in open habitats and takes comfort in high, covered areas.<ref name="Fa-1992" /> The volcano rabbit produces high-pitched vocalizations to warn others in its group of danger, a behavior unique among rabbits, but similar to those produced by pikas.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bell |first=D |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199206087.001.0001/acref-9780199206087-e-118 |title=The Encyclopedia of Mammals |last2=Smith |first2=A. |date=2006-01-01 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-920608-7 |edition=3 |language=en |chapter=Rabbits and Hares |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199206087.001.0001}}</ref><ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> Little is known about its longevity, and it is expected to have an average lifespan of less than a year in the wild, like other rabbits and hares.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" /> It is most active in the evening and early morning, though large groups of volcano rabbits have been spotted outside their burrows just around noon.<ref name=sbh111>{{Harvnb|Schai-Braun|Hackländer|2016|p=111}}</ref>

The reproductive behavior of volcano rabbits has been infrequently observed, with most records coming from individuals in captivity. Males will often select a single female out of a group to mate with, though when this mate is taken away they will choose another. The mating process begins with the male following closely behind its partner until the female turns around, at which point the two start circling around each other. After a few turns, the male mounts the female and begins copulation.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schai-Braun|Hackländer|2016|p=96}}</ref> The species has a very narrow [[gestational period]]. In a 1985 study, all females gave birth between 39 and 41 days after coitus;<ref name="Matsuzaki-1985" /> later works note the gestational period as 39 days. Up to three young are produced per litter,<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> with 4 to 5 litters produced per year. The young wean off the mother until they are roughly 28 days old, and reach sexual maturity after 185 days.<ref name="Heldstab-2021" /> The species is sexually active year-round, though the period of greatest activity is during the summer. Their nests, shallow depressions dug in the ground lined with shredded grasses, plant fragments, and fur, are built only from April to September.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> These nests are {{convert|11|cm}} in depth and {{convert|15|cm}} wide. This nesting behavior is similar to that of female [[cottontail rabbit]]s.<ref name="Cervantes-1990-4" /> The young are delivered in these nests, similar to burrowing rabbits which give birth in a nesting chamber.<ref name=":0" /> The volcano rabbit is noted as having difficulty breeding in small enclosures.<ref name="Fa-1992" />

=== Diet ===
[[File:Romerolagus diazi 2018 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|alt=A photo of a volcano rabbit with a plant in its mouth|A volcano rabbit feeding]]
The volcano rabbit feeds primarily on grasses such as ''[[Festuca amplissima]]'', ''[[Muhlenbergia macroura]]'', ''[[Jarava ichu]]'', and ''[[Eryngium rosei]]''. The rabbits also use these plants as cover to hide from predators. ''M. macroura'' has been found in 89% of volcano rabbit pellets in one study, suggesting that this is the base of their diet, but it does not actually provide the necessary energy and protein needs of the rabbits.<ref name="Martinez" /> The rest of the rabbit's required nutrition is obtained from 15 other forms of plant life, including ''[[Muhlenbergia quadidentata|M. quadidentata]]'', ''[[Pinus hartwegii]]'', ''[[Festuca tolucensis|F. tolucensis]]'',<ref name="Martinez" /> ''[[Alchemilla sibbaldiifolia]]'', ''[[Museniopsis arguta]]'' and ''[[Cunila tritifolium]]''.<ref name="Twycrosszoo" /> Volcano rabbits also consume leaves, foliage, and flowers indiscriminately when unable to access their preferred foods. Habitat loss has caused many of these food sources to become inaccessible to the rabbit. Protein acquisition is the primary limiting factor on population sizes, and many individuals suffer from serious weight loss and starvation due to poor nutrition.<ref name="Martinez" />

Seasonal changes affect the diet of the volcano rabbit greatly. The grasses it normally consumes are abundant during wet seasons. During the dry season, the volcano rabbit eats the leaves of shrubs and small trees, as well as other woody plants. In winter, woody plants make up most of their diet, and provide the primary building material for their nests.<ref name="Martinez" /> In captivity, volcano rabbits are often given pellet food typical for [[Chinchilla|chinchillas]].<ref name="Twycrosszoo" />

{{Clear}}

=== Predators and parasites ===
The volcano rabbit is [[prey]] for several species; in Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, it makes up 12.5% of prey for the [[bobcat]], and 5.5% for the [[coyote]]. [[Long-tailed weasel]]s, [[red-tailed hawk]]s, and [[rattlesnake]]s are also significant predators.<ref name="iucn status" /> [[Feral dog]]s present around villages may also prey upon the volcano rabbit.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" />

[[Nematode]]s, [[cestode]]s, [[flea]]s and [[mite]]s affect the volcano rabbit, several of which are species-specific. It is parasitized by the mites ''Cheyletiella mexicana'' and ''Cheyletiella parasitovorax'', which is notable as mites in genus ''[[Cheyletiella]]'' do not tend to occur on the same host. Other species-specific parasites are ''Boreostrongylus romerolagi'', ''Dermatoxys romerolagi'', ''Lamothiella romerolagi'', ''Anoplocephaloides romerolagi'', ''Cediopsylla tepolita'', and ''Hoplopsyllus pectinatus''.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> Ticks (in family [[Ixodidae]]), chiggers (in family [[Trombiculidae]]), and botfly larvae (in family [[Cuterebridae]]) have also been found on wild volcano rabbits.<ref name="Cervantes-1990-5">{{Harvnb|Cervantes|Lorenzo|Hoffmann|1990|p=5}}</ref>

== Status and conservation ==
[[File:Recta a Cholula.jpg|thumb|alt=Aerial photograph looking down a long highway|[[Recta a Cholula]], a highway in the Mexican state of [[Puebla]]. The construction of similar highways has contributed to declines in volcano rabbit populations due to [[habitat fragmentation]].]]
Threats to ''R. diazi'' include logging, harvesting of grasses, livestock grazing, [[habitat destruction]], urban expansion, highway construction and frequent forest fires.<ref name="researchgate.net" /> Unsound management policies of its habitat in National Parks and outside, mainly by afforestation, have also threatened volcano rabbit populations.<ref name="youtube.com" /><ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> The IUCN estimated in 2019 that roughly 7,000 rabbits remained in the wild, and noted that the population was decreasing.<ref name="iucn status" /> Prior studies placed this population number between 11,000 and 25,000 individuals.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> The IUCN currently lists the volcano rabbit as an [[endangered species]],<ref name="iucn status" /> as does the Mexican government through the [[Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources]].<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" />

[[Captive breeding]] programs have been established with varying success, but infant mortality in captivity is high.<ref name="Chapman" /> Human developments on lands inhabited by the volcano rabbit, as well as the effects of human-caused climate change, have caused declines in population.<ref name="iucn status" />

=== Threats and decline ===
Numerous studies conducted during the 1980s and 1990s agreed that the habitat of the volcano rabbit was shrinking due to a combination of natural and anthropogenic causes. There is evidence that its range has shrunk significantly during the last 18,000 years due to a {{convert|5–6|C|F}} increase in temperature.<ref name="Velazquez 1993 62–69" /> [[Habitat fragmentation]] is a common cause of population decline in Mexican mammals, and the volcano rabbit is particularly affected due to its specific habitat and diet needs.<ref name="Velazquez-19932" /> Patches of vegetation that ''R. diazi'' uses for survival are becoming more isolated and smaller, rendering the environment more open and therefore less suitable for its survival. Because the volcano rabbit inhabits the area surrounding Mexico City, Mexico's most populous region, it has suffered a very high rate of [[habitat destruction]].<ref name="Velazquez 1993 62–69" /> Additionally, human disturbances enable other rabbit species to flourish in grasslands, increasing competition with the volcano rabbit. [[Cottontail rabbit|Cottontail rabbits]] have expanded into regions occupied by the volcano rabbit, though it is unclear if the volcano rabbit is being pushed to their mountain habitats due to competition from other species.<ref name="Fa-1992" /> Climate change has been cited as a potentially damaging factor to the volcano rabbit, as increasing temperature causes the species to move to higher elevations where the habitat is less suitable overall.<ref name="iucn status" />

Hunting is another threat to the volcano rabbit, despite the fact that ''R. diazi'' is listed under Appendix 1 of [[CITES]], a treaty that severely restricts the trade of listed species.<ref name="CITES1973" /><ref name="msw3" /> It is illegal to hunt under Mexican law, but this hunting law is poorly enforced, and regions inhabited by the volcano rabbit have been largely abandoned by law enforcement.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" /> The species is hunted despite the fact that its small size and rough fur makes it a very poor source of meat and skins.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rojas Mendoza|1952|p=65}}</ref> Hunting, livestock grazing, and fires can harm ''R. diazi'' even within the boundaries of national parks.<ref name="iucn status" />

=== Conservation ===
Volcano rabbits have been bred in captivity,<ref name="Hoth, J 1987" /> but there is evidence that the species loses a significant amount of genetic diversity when it reproduces in such conditions. A comparative study done on wild and captive volcano rabbits found that the latter lost a substantial amount of DNA [[Locus (genetics)|loci]], and some specimens lost 88% of their genetic variability. There was, however, one locus whose variability was higher than that of the wild population.<ref name="Soto-2005" />

The IUCN created an action plan for the volcano rabbit in 1990 that focuses upon the need to manage the burning and [[overgrazing]] of grassland habitats and to enforce laws prohibiting its hunting, capture, and sale. Studies about the volcano rabbit's geographical range, role in its habitat, population dynamics, and evolutionary history were recommended.<ref name="Fa-1992" /> Some populations have been able to recover due to volanic activity at Popocatepetl, which has restricted incursions by herders and tourists.<ref name="Lagomorphs2018" />

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="msw3">{{MSW3 Lagomorpha | pages = 207 | id = 13500280 | heading = ''Romerolagus diazi'' }}</ref>
<ref name="iucn status">{{cite iucn |author=Velázquez, A. |author2=Guerrero, J.A. |date=2019 |title=''Romerolagus diazi'' |volume=2019 |page=e.T19742A45180356 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T19742A45180356.en |access-date=10 April 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="mdd">{{Cite mdd|id=1001120 |genus=Romerolagus |species=diazi |access-date=11 April 2025}}</ref>
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}}

=== Sources ===
{{sfn whitelist |CITEREFSchai-BraunHackländer2016}}
* {{HMW2016 Volume 6|chapter=Family Leporidae (Hares and Rabbits) |last1=Schai-Braun |first1=S. C. |first2=K. |last2=Hackländer |pages=62-149}}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Cervantes |first1=Fernando A. |last2=Lorenzo |first2=Consuelo |last3=Hoffmann |first3=Robert S. |date=1990-10-23 |title=Romerolagus diazi |url=https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article-lookup/doi/10.2307/3504131 |journal=[[Mammalian Species]] |issue=360 |pages=1–7 |doi=10.2307/3504131|jstor=3504131 }}
* {{Cite thesis|url=https://repositorio.unam.mx/contenidos/3574206 |last1=Rojas Mendoza |first1=Paulino |date=1952 |title=Estudio biologico del conejo de los volcanes |trans-title=Biological study of the volcano rabbit |language=es |publisher=Faculty of Sciences, [[National Autonomous University of Mexico]] |degree=Licenciatura en biologo}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_vckXMGtFY These Endangered Rabbits Live on the Slope of a Mexican Volcano] - 1992 documentary on the volcano rabbit
* [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352743072_Garcia-Feria_et_al_2020_A_Survival_Blueprint_for_the_conservation_of_the_Volcano_rabbit_Romerolagus_diazi_and_its_habitat_Mexico_An_output_from_the_EDGE_of_Existence_fellowship_Zoological_Society_of_L A Survival Blueprint for the conservation of the Volcano rabbit ''Romerolagus diazi'' and its habitat] - [[EDGE of Existence programme]] publication

{{Lagomorpha|L.}}
{{Lagomorpha Genera|Le.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q668030}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rabbits]]
[[Category:EDGE species]]
[[Category:Endemic mammals of Mexico]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1893]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Fernando Ferrari-Pérez]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt]]