|
|
||
Rabbits and HaresQuestions & AnswersRabbits and hares are among most amazing
and interesting animals. There are many different types or
rabbits and hares with many distinctive features. On this
Rabbit & Hare Q&A
page we are answering common questions about rabbits and
hares. Do not hesitate to send us other questions to
email@alexandgregory.com. Enjoy and
please visit our
Arctic Hare page and official
ZGame
page! PAGE NAVIGATION: Introduction
Quick Facts
Selected Species Complete Taxonomy RABBIT AND HARE INTRODUCTION
|
|||
Who are rabbits and hares?Rabbits and hares are small mammals with long front teeth, fluffy short tails, and long hind legs they use for hopping and jumping.Rabbits are furry-coated and short-tailed mammals. They have long ears and long back legs for running and jumping. Rabbits are herbivores with long front teeth for gnawing. Some make burrows or tunnels in the ground. Rabbits are smaller and have shorter ears than their hare relatives. A hare (pronounced hair) also has long, strong back legs. Unlike rabbits, their young are born with their eyes open and they live above ground. Rabbits and hares are common names, often applied interchangeably, for small, furry mammals with long ears and legs, and short tails. In zoological classification, rabbits are distinguished by the helplessness of their offspring. Young rabbits are born naked with their eyes closed. With the exception of North America's cottontail, rabbits live in underground burrow colonies. The cottontail builds its simple nest on the surface, usually in grass or brush, and rarely lives in social groups. Hares are generally larger and have longer ears with characteristic black markings. The skulls of rabbits and hares are also different.Both rabbits and hares are distributed throughout the world and possess some common traits. They are often mistaken for each other. Various species and subspecies of rabbits and hares are found in brushy woods, plains and grasslands, mountains, deserts, around rivers and wetlands, and even in the Arctic tundra and snow. Both breed prolifically, bearing four to eight litters each year. A litter of rabbits generally has three to eight young. They have a gestation period of about a month, are sexually mature in about six months, and live in the wild for about six years. Domestic rabbits may live to be over ten years old. Although rabbits and hares are valued as game by hunters both for their food and fur, they are also are pests to farmers and gardeners. They can destroy crops and trees. Are rabbits and hares related?Rabbits and hares belong to the same order,
Lagomorpha, which also includes
pikas. The order goes back at least 55 million years. Are rabbits rodents?No, Lagomorpha are different from rodents, for instance by having four incisors (two on top and two on bottom) instead of rodent's two. What is the difference between rabbit and hare?Usually hares are larger than rabbits, have larger ears and hind legs. Hares are born with full coat of fur and opened eyes, rabbits are born blind and without fur.Hares and have longer hind legs then rabbits and longer ears with characteristic black markings. The skulls of rabbits and hares are also different. Rabbit's fur coat remains its color year-round, while hares change color from grayish brown in summer to white in winter. Rabbits and hares usually live in different arias. Another difference between rabbits and hares is their diet. Rabbits prefer soft stems, grass or vegetables, hares eat more hard food: bark and rind, buds, small twigs and shoot. |
Can rabbits be domesticated?
European Rabbits are the
only domesticated rabbits. Variety of breeds exist, most larger than
wild rabbits, their fur thickness, color and size vary
significantly. What was the oldest known rabbit?A rabbit-like fossil dated 55 million years back was found in Mongolia. A creature had long hind limbs and was very close to a modern day rabbit. Some differences include a long tail and squirrel-like teeth. This finding further supports an idea that rabbit family might exists for about 65 million years or more. More from BBC...Which well-known "rabbit" is a hare?Jack rabbit is actually a common hare. This is the fastest hare and faster than any rabbit (and one of the fastest land animals). It can reach speed up to 50 mph."I measured the leaps of one and found them twenty-one feet. They appear to run with more ease and to bound with greater agility than any animal I ever saw."—Lewis’s journal, September 14, 1804 Can rabbits attack people? Typically not. Rabbits are usually tame and nice. However, U.S. President, and 2002 Nobel Prize winner Jimmy Carter was attacked by a hare (thought to be a swamp rabbit) while sitting in the boat in a middle of the lake. The event was documented on the photograph. Where can I find additional information? There are many
resources about rabbits available on the Internet.
Search
the Internet for your specific question, also try
House Rabbit Society
Send rabbit postcards (House Rabbit Society)
http://www.webbedworks.com/messingerwoods/rabbitprofile.htm http://www.rabbit.org/-info on house rabbits http://www.animalinfo.org/species/caprhisp.htmhttp://www.orcca.on.ca/~elena/useful/bunnies.html information on the difference of a rabbits and a hares
|
||
QUICK RABBIT AND HARE FACTS
SELECTED RABBIT AND HARE SPECIESSnow Shoe HareThe varying hare, Lepus americanus, known popularly as the snowshoe rabbit or hare, is distributed widely throughout North America. In winter it is pure white except for black ear tips, and in summer it is reddish-brown. Snowshoe hares are found in mixed spruce forests, wooded swamps, and brushy areas. They feed on a wide variety of plant material—grasses, buds, twigs, and leaves in the summer and spruce twigs and needles, bark, and buds of hardwood such as aspen and willow in the winter. The young snowshoe weighs 85 g (3 oz) at birth and develops so rapidly that it crawls on the second day after birth and hops on the third day. Adult males, called bucks, fight one another with their teeth when they court the same females, which are known as does. Although largely herbivorous, the adult snowshoe rabbit may eat carrion. In summer, they feed on plants like grass, ferns and leaves; in winter, they eat twigs, the bark from trees and buds from flowers and plants. The Snow hare are sometimes seen feeding in small groups. These animals are mainly are active at night and do not hibernate.This hare changes its coat two times a year, exchanging a thin brown summer coat for a heavy, white, fluffy winter coat. These different colored fur coats help the hare blend in with its surroundings. In the summer, the snowshoe hare is rusty brown with black on the top of the tail and ear tips; grayish-white on its underside. This blends well with summer twigs and leaves. In fall, the new winter white coat comes in; starting with the ears and feet. This transformation to white takes about 10 weeks. The white blends in and hides the snowshoe hare in the snow-covered woodlands. Some people call this animal the "varying hare" because of this seasonal color change. Hares are most active at dusk and dawn. They do not dig burrows or build nests but use natural shelters and depressions and rest under branches or bushes. The snowshoe hare travels about on well-established trails or runways which become deeply worn in the snow or forest floor. It is interesting that the winter trails through the deep snow follow the summer pathways. Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Rabbits normally move slowly in short hops or jumps, but when frightened they can achieve speeds up to 18 miles per hour over a short distance. They often zigzag to confuse a pursuing predator. Although they do not take to the water often, rabbits are good swimmers. They will thump the ground with their hind feet regularly, probably as a means of communication. When playing, breeding, or fighting they often make low purring, growling, or grunting sounds. If captured by a predator, the animal may produce a loud, shrill scream. Food: In summer, cottontails feed almost entirely on tender grasses and herbs; crops such as peas, beans, and lettuce are also eaten. In winter, bark, twigs, and buds of shrubs and young trees are eaten. Rabbits will also re-ingest their own fecal pellets, increasing their level of vitamins and minerals. Because of its high productivity
rate, the cottontail rabbit is an important link in the food
chain and a principle prey item for many species. It is also
a popular game species throughout its range. Depending on
its availability, the cottontail can be considered a buffer
prey species, meaning if rabbit numbers are high, predators
will concentrate on them, thus reducing the pressure on
other prey species. Photo: Eastern Cottontail European Hare The European Hare or Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) is a species of hare
native to northern and central Europe and western Asia. It is a mammal adapted
to temperate open country. It is related to the similarly appearing rabbit,
which is in the same family but a different genus. It breeds on the ground
rather than in a burrow and relies on speed to escape. It is larger,
longer-eared, and longer-legged than a rabbit. It has a body size of 50-70 cm
and a tail length of 7-11 cm. The weight for a full-grown adult ranges from 2.5
to 6.5 kg. It can run at speeds of up to 70 km/h (45 mi/h). It is strictly
herbivorous. It eats grasses and herbs during the summer months but changes to
feeding on twigs, bark, and the buds of young trees in winter, making it a pest
to orchard farmers.Normally shy animals, hares change their behavior in spring, when they can be seen in broad daylight chasing one another around meadows; this appears to be competition between males to attain dominance (and hence more access to breeding females). During this spring frenzy, hares can be seen "boxing". This is where hares strike one another with their paws. For a long time it had been thought that this was more inter-male competition, but closer observation has revealed that it is usually a female hitting a male, either to show that she is not yet quite ready to mate or as a test of his determination. Photo: European Hare from the Hilton Pond. Alaskan Hare
Photo: Alaskan Hare from the Univercity of Alaska Museum Sumatran Rabbit Sumatran rabbit
(Nesolagus netscheri) is probably the rarest rabbit.
It lives in the Barisan Mountains forest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Until recently there was only one confirmed sighting (in 1972) since
1916 of this rabbit. In 1997 - 1998 the rabbit was photographed via
photo trapping.
It is so rare that local people are said to be unaware of its
existence and have no name for it.This rabbit is 35-40 cm long, with gray soft fur striped with brown color. It has a small red tail, its ears are shorter than , other rabbits'. it is completely nocturnal. In 1999 a new species of a rabbit similar to Sumatran rabbit (bold stripes, red tail) was spotted in the Annamite mountain between Laos and Vietnam. Photo: Sumatran rabbit from the NatureWatch.org Hispid HareA hispid hare is one of the world's rarest mammals. The hispid hare is living in southern Himalayan mountain chain and was thought extinct in 1964 until spotted again in 1966. An estimated population in 2001 was 110 hares. Very little is known about these animals. The hispid hare usually eats bark, shoots and roots of grasses, including thatch species, and occasionally crops. The hispid hare is a brown hare. Unfortunately this hare is on the endangered list. Only about 100 are known to exist. The hispid hare weighs 2 - 2.5 kg (4.5 - 5.5 lb) and its length is about 38 - 50 cm (15 - 20").Marsh Rabbit
Marsh rabbits have dark brown coats and white bellies. Their ears are relatively short, but wide. They can walk on their hind legs, which are shorter than those of their cousins. They live near water and flee there in case of any danger. They can float in the water with their eyes and noses outside.
Photo and information: the Wildlife of the Alligator River. Amami RabbitAmami rabbits live on isolated Ryukyu islands in Japan. It looks different from an ordinary rabbit or hare with its short rounded ears and short legs. It is known to make pika-like sounds. Amami rabbits are nocturnal and live deep in the forest. It is brown in color and has no tail. Amami rabbits are endangered species. More from BBC...Pygmy Rabbit
Arctic hareThe Arctic hare is one of the most amazing animals living on our planet. The arctic hares is very similar to the mountain hare and the snow shoe hare. We have an entire page on this hare. |
|||
Common Hares/Jackrabbits (Lepus)Macrotolagus Antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni) - Southern Arizona, Northwest Mexico (NORTH AMERICA) Poecilolagus Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) - NORTH AMERICALepus Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus)
- Nothern Canada, Newfoundland (NORTH AMERICA), Greenland Proeulagus
Black jackrabbit (Lepus insularis) - Baja California
(Mexico, NORTH AMERICA) Eulagos Broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi) - Northern Spain (EUROPE) Sabanalagus Ethiopian hare (Lepus fagani) - Ethiopia (AFRICA) Indolagus Hainan hare (Lepus hainanus) - Hainan Island, Southern China
(ASIA) Sinolagus Chinese hare (Lepus sinensis) - Korea, Eastern China (ASIA) Tarimolagus Yarkand hare (Lepus yarkandensis) - Southern Sinkiang, China (ASIA) Incertae sedis European rabbit (Orytolagus) European (Orytolagus cuniculus) - native to Southern EUROPE <THIS SPECIES HAS BEEN DOMESTICATED>Hispid hares (Caprolagus)Hispid (Caprolagus hispidus) - India, Nepal, Bangladesh (ASIA) <ONE OF THE RAREST HARES>Cottontail Rabbits (Sylvilagus)Audubon's or Desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) - USA and Northern Mexico (NORTH AMERICA)Brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) - Western coast of NORTH AMERICA Dice's cottontail (Sylvilagus dicei) Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) - Southwest USA, Southern Canada, Eastern Mexico and Central America (NORTH AMERICA) <MOST COMMON NEW WORLD COTTONTAIL> Marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) Mexican cottontail (Sylvilagus cunicularius) Mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) Omilteme cottontail (Sylvilagus insonus) - found only at Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico (NORTH AMERICA) <CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, HAD NOT BEEN RECORDED SINCE the 60s) San Jose Brush rabbit (Sylvilagus mansuetus) Swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) - swamps of Southern USA (NORTH AMERICA) Tapeti or Forest or Brazilian (Sylvilagus brasiliensis) - CENTRAL and SOUTH AMERICA Tres Marias cottontail (Sylvilagus graysoni) Sumatran Rabbits (Nesolagus)Sumatran Short Eared or Sumatran Striped (Nesolagus
netscheri) - Western Sumatra, Indonesia (ASIA) Pygmy Rabbits (Brachylagus)Pygmy (idahoensis) <WORLD'S SMALLEST RABBIT>Riverine rabbits (Bunolagus)Riverine or Bushman (monticularis) - South AFRICA <ONE OF THE RAREST RABBITS>Ryu Kyu rabbits (Pentalagus)Amami (furnessi) - Ryukyu islands, Japan (ASIA)African harsh-furred hares (Poelagus)Bunoyoro or Central African (marjorita) - Central AFRICARock hares (Pronolagus)Natal red (Pronolagus crassicaudatus) - Southern and Eastern AFRICAJameson's red (Pronolagus randensis) - Southern and Eastern AFRICA Smith's red (Pronolagus rupstris) - Southern and Eastern AFRICA Volcano Rabbits (Romerolagus)Volcano (diazi) - Mexico (NORTH AMERICA) <WORLD'S SECOND SMALLEST RABBIT, MAKES HIGH-PITCHED SOUND
Visit Z-Game for
a great rabbit game
|
|||
|
Last modified on 1/15/06 |
|||
The chief wild
rabbit of North America is the cottontail of the genus
Sylvilagus. They feed on a wide variety of plant
material—grasses, buds, twigs, and leaves in the summer and
spruce twigs and needles, bark, and buds of hardwood such as
aspen and willow in the winter. Its name is derived from the
white undersurface of its short tail, which resembles a puff
of cotton. The cottontail is noted for remaining motionless
to avoid notice when it senses danger. These rabbits, which
swim well, also evade enemies by plunging into lakes or
streams. 
The
Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also called the tundra hare,
populates much of the western coast of Alaska, including the
Alaska Peninsula, but has a spotty distribution along the
Arctic coast and the north slope of the Brooks Range. These
hares are closely related to the arctic, snow shoe, and
mountain hares.
Pygmy
rabbit is the smallest rabbit (and Leporid) living in North
America. It is one of only to American rabbit species
digging its own borrow. These rabbits look very differently
from their American cousins, among the distinctive features
are small size, short ears and hind legs, grey color (no
white tale). Pygmy rabbits are totally dependent on one
specific plant, sagebrush for food, especially during winter
time. They are federally endangered species.
