Arabian Hare (Lepus capensis-Lepus capensis arabicus)

The Cape Hare (Lepus capensis, represented in the region by the Arabian subspecies Lepus capensis arabicus, known locally in Arabic as Arnab barri / الأرنب البري) is a small, highly specialized lagomorph adapted to the intense heat and arid conditions of the Arabian Peninsula. Recognized by its unusually large, heavily vascularized ears that facilitate thermoregulation and its pale, tawny-grey coat that blends into sandy soils, the hare is primarily nocturnal, resting during the hottest daytime hours in shallow surface scrapes (forms) beneath desert scrub.

Featured as part of the definitive 1980 wildlife series for Al Areen Wildlife Park & Reserve, the artwork illustrates a hare in the foreground in alert posture against arid grass tufts, with two additional hares foraging in the background. The stamp highlighted the reserve’s sanctuary grounds, which protect native herbivores from habitat degradation and historical overhunting across the island state.