# Sumatran striped rabbit

> The Sumatran striped rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri) is a striped, nocturnal rabbit found only in Sumatra's mountain forests, and is very rarely seen.

Source: https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/sumatran-striped-rabbit/ · Updated 14 October 2026 · English · Bahasa Indonesia: https://panduanhewan.org/id/spesies/kelinci-sumatera/
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**Review status:** Compiled and checked against the listed sources; not yet reviewed by a specialist.

## Quick answer

The Sumatran striped rabbit (*Nesolagus netscheri*) is a mammal in the family Leporidae. Range in Indonesia: Sumatra (Barisan Mountains). Diet: forest understorey plants such as Cyrtandra. IUCN Red List status: Data Deficient.

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Nesolagus netscheri* |
| Indonesian name | Kelinci sumatera |
| Group | Mammals |
| Family | Leporidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra (Barisan Mountains) |
| Linked habitats | [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/) |
| Diet | Forest understorey plants such as Cyrtandra |
| Range in Indonesia | Barisan Mountains, mainly Kerinci Seblat and Bukit Barisan Selatan |
| Key feature | Black-brown stripes, reddish tail, short ears, estimated 40 cm long |
| Activity | Mainly nocturnal |
| Other names | Kelinci sumatera, kelinci belang sumatera, Sumatran short-eared rabbit |
| Legal protection in Indonesia | Protected under Regulation P.106/2018 (annex no. 72) |
| IUCN status | Data Deficient · [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2436684) · checked 14 October 2026 |

## What is the Sumatran striped rabbit?

The Sumatran striped rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri) is a striped rabbit found only on Sumatra and one of the least often seen rabbits anywhere. It is estimated to be about 40 cm long, grey with black and brown stripes, with a reddish tail, a white belly and short ears (Sintas Indonesia; Mongabay Indonesia).

The species was described in 1880 from a specimen collected by E. Netscher in the Padang Highlands of West Sumatra (IUCN). The only other living species in the genus Nesolagus is the Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) of the Annamite Mountains in Laos and Vietnam (IUCN; Sintas Indonesia).

Evidence: [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557) · [Sintas Indonesia (2023) — Paling Misteri: Kelinci Belang Sumatera, Si Paling Langka di Dunia](https://sintas.or.id/2023/05/10/paling-misteri-kelinci-belang-sumatera-si-paling-langka-di-dunia/) · [Mongabay Indonesia (2021) — Kelinci Sumatera, Si Belang yang Begitu Sulit Ditemukan di Hutan](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2021/08/20/kelinci-sumatera-si-belang-yang-begitu-sulit-ditemukan-di-hutan/)

## Where does the Sumatran striped rabbit live?

The Sumatran striped rabbit lives only in the forests of Sumatra's Barisan Mountains. According to the IUCN, most records come from West and South Sumatra, and recent reports come almost entirely from Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat national parks. It is found most often in primary montane forest above 600 metres and depends strongly on forest.

McCarthy and colleagues (2012) also recorded two reports from lowland forest: a 1997 sighting outside Pemerihan, Lampung, and a 2011 camera-trap photo at 544 metres in Ipuh, Bengkulu (Mongabay Indonesia, 2021).

Evidence: [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557) · [Oryx — McCarthy et al. (2012), Using camera trap photos and direct sightings to identify possible refugia for the Vulnerable Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/using-camera-trap-photos-and-direct-sightings-to-identify-possible-refugia-for-the-vulnerable-sumatran-striped-rabbit-nesolagus-netscheri/6B35A83B9C3B126A0FEB36DB68B46949) · [Mongabay Indonesia (2021) — Kelinci Sumatera, Si Belang yang Begitu Sulit Ditemukan di Hutan](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2021/08/20/kelinci-sumatera-si-belang-yang-begitu-sulit-ditemukan-di-hutan/)

## What does the Sumatran striped rabbit eat?

The Sumatran striped rabbit feeds on understorey plants on the forest floor, but according to the IUCN its wild diet has never been analysed. According to records from 1919 and 1921 cited by the IUCN, a captive rabbit preferred several species of Cyrtandra, a common understorey plant in tropical forests; arum-family plants (Araceae) were also eaten, but cultivated vegetables and fruit were avoided.

A camera-trap video from Kerinci Seblat National Park showed a rabbit moving slowly while feeding on several understorey plants. Local people report it eating fallen fruit, and the IUCN notes that it forages only in forest, not in open areas.

Evidence: [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557)

## How does the Sumatran striped rabbit behave?

The Sumatran striped rabbit is mainly active at night. According to the IUCN, all museum specimens were trapped at night, captive rabbits were most active at night, and all recent camera-trap photos were taken at night. Even so, there are reports of rabbits seen eating fallen fruit by day.

The species is very rarely seen. Its first camera-trap photo was taken by Fauna & Flora International in Kerinci Seblat National Park in the late 1990s. Sintas Indonesia writes that available information suggests the rabbit spends the day in burrows.

Evidence: [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557) · [Oryx — McCarthy et al. (2012), Using camera trap photos and direct sightings to identify possible refugia for the Vulnerable Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/using-camera-trap-photos-and-direct-sightings-to-identify-possible-refugia-for-the-vulnerable-sumatran-striped-rabbit-nesolagus-netscheri/6B35A83B9C3B126A0FEB36DB68B46949) · [Sintas Indonesia (2023) — Paling Misteri: Kelinci Belang Sumatera, Si Paling Langka di Dunia](https://sintas.or.id/2023/05/10/paling-misteri-kelinci-belang-sumatera-si-paling-langka-di-dunia/)

## Why is the Sumatran striped rabbit at risk?

Forest loss is the biggest threat to the Sumatran striped rabbit. The IUCN notes that Kerinci Seblat and Bukit Barisan Selatan national parks, possibly its last refuges, lost 258 km² and 143 km² of forest in 2000–2015. It is now Data Deficient because so little is known; it was rated Vulnerable in 2008 and Critically Endangered in 1996.

The IUCN's 2019 assessment found no evidence that hunting or the pet trade was a major threat, though snares set for other animals are a danger. Trade is now recorded: the Scents foundation counted three smuggling cases, involving six rabbits, in India and Thailand in April and June 2025 (Mongabay Indonesia).

Evidence: [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557) · [Mongabay Indonesia (2026) — Minim Penelitian, Kelinci Belang Sumatera Antara Ada dan Tiada](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/06/03/minim-penelitian-kelinci-belang-sumatera-antara-ada-dan-tiada/)

## What should you do if you find a Sumatran striped rabbit?

Do not catch, keep or sell Sumatran striped rabbits. Nesolagus netscheri is listed as a protected animal at number 72 of the annex to Regulation P.106/2018. If you find one, such as young rabbits in a garden near forest, leave them or report them to the nearest BKSDA or national park office.

In April 2026, two young rabbits found by a villager in a garden near Kerinci Seblat National Park were posted on Facebook. After the Scents team explained their protected status to the finder, both were returned to their habitat (Mongabay Indonesia). Camera-trap or phone photos with a location are valuable, as records remain scarce.

Evidence: [JDIH Kementerian Kehutanan — Lampiran Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf) · [Mongabay Indonesia (2026) — Minim Penelitian, Kelinci Belang Sumatera Antara Ada dan Tiada](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/06/03/minim-penelitian-kelinci-belang-sumatera-antara-ada-dan-tiada/)

## Scientific classification of the Sumatran striped rabbit

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Lagomorpha |
| Family | Leporidae |
| Genus | *Nesolagus* |
| Species | *Nesolagus netscheri* |

Source: [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c)

## Common questions about the Sumatran striped rabbit

### What is the scientific name of the Sumatran striped rabbit?

The scientific name of the Sumatran striped rabbit is *Nesolagus netscheri*, in the family Leporidae. In Indonesian it is called Kelinci sumatera.

### Where does the Sumatran striped rabbit live in Indonesia?

In Indonesia, this guide records the Sumatran striped rabbit in: Sumatra (Barisan Mountains).

Source-supported habitats: [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/).

### What does the Sumatran striped rabbit eat?

Diet of the Sumatran striped rabbit: forest understorey plants such as Cyrtandra.

### What are the main features of the Sumatran striped rabbit?

Key features of the Sumatran striped rabbit, from this guide’s sources: Key feature: black-brown stripes, reddish tail, short ears, estimated 40 cm long.

### What is the scientific classification of the Sumatran striped rabbit?

Scientific classification of the Sumatran striped rabbit: kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Lagomorpha, family Leporidae, genus *Nesolagus*, species *Nesolagus netscheri*.

Source: [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c), adjusted to the ranks commonly used in school biology.

### Is the Sumatran striped rabbit endangered?

This cannot yet be judged because data are lacking. On the IUCN Red List, the Sumatran striped rabbit is listed as Data Deficient: there is not enough information to assess its extinction risk. Source: [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2436684), checked 14 October 2026.

This global category is separate from legal protection in Indonesia. To check whether the Sumatran striped rabbit is a protected species, consult the current national list of [protected species](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/protected/) or contact the local [BKSDA](https://panduanhewan.org/en/bksda-offices/) (natural resources conservation office).

## Sources & references

1. [Oryx — McCarthy et al. (2012), Using camera trap photos and direct sightings to identify possible refugia for the Vulnerable Sumatran striped rabbit Nesolagus netscheri](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/using-camera-trap-photos-and-direct-sightings-to-identify-possible-refugia-for-the-vulnerable-sumatran-striped-rabbit-nesolagus-netscheri/6B35A83B9C3B126A0FEB36DB68B46949)
2. [Sintas Indonesia (2023) — Paling Misteri: Kelinci Belang Sumatera, Si Paling Langka di Dunia](https://sintas.or.id/2023/05/10/paling-misteri-kelinci-belang-sumatera-si-paling-langka-di-dunia/)
3. [Mongabay Indonesia (2021) — Kelinci Sumatera, Si Belang yang Begitu Sulit Ditemukan di Hutan](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2021/08/20/kelinci-sumatera-si-belang-yang-begitu-sulit-ditemukan-di-hutan/)
4. [Mongabay Indonesia (2026) — Minim Penelitian, Kelinci Belang Sumatera Antara Ada dan Tiada](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/06/03/minim-penelitian-kelinci-belang-sumatera-antara-ada-dan-tiada/)
5. [IUCN Red List — Nesolagus netscheri, Sumatran Striped Rabbit (McCarthy et al. 2019)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14662/45178557)
6. [JDIH Kementerian Kehutanan — Lampiran Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf)
7. [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c)

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Cite: PanduanHewan. (2026). Sumatran striped rabbit. PanduanHewan.org. https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/sumatran-striped-rabbit/