It is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, ranging over the Afroalpine regions of the Shoa, Bale, and Arsi Provinces of Ethiopia.

[1] It was originally described as a subspecies of the cape hare (Lepus capensis), but was later given a species status by Renate Angermann in 1983.

She mentioned that after an interglacial period, the retraction of glaciers Might have isolated the populations of the European hare on the Ethiopian plateau, which evolved as a different subspecies.

Hoffmann and A.T. Smith, following Angermann, listed the Ethiopian highland hare as a separate species.

It has medium-sized ears measuring 10 to 11.5 cm (3.9 to 4.5 in) in length, with the upper quarter being black, and the outer surface having white fringe hairs at the outer margin, and wide, whitish or buff-colored fringe hairs at the inner margin, except at the tip.

The flanks have pale gray hairs at the base, with buff or whitish subterminal band, and black or white tips.

[2] The nuchal patch is bright cinnamon or reddish brown in color, and does not extend to the neck-sides.

[3] The complete distribution of the Ethiopian highland hare, according to Angermann, falls in between 6° 50' N and 9° 35' N latitudes, and 38° E and to slightly east of 40° E longitudes.

[3] The Ethiopian highland hare is a herbivore, and mostly feeds on moorland grasses such as bentgrass (Agrostis), goosegrass (Eleusine), Festuca, fountaingrass (Pennisetum) and bluegrass (Poa).

[5] At such altitudes in which the Ethiopian highland hare lives, it is expected to reproduce in dry seasons.

"[1] The current state of its population trend is unclear, but the status has been reported as "relatively numerous" by John E.C.