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Rabbits and hares are both mammals that were once considered rodents because of their large incisors and habits of gnawing. However, both rabbits and hares are now classified in a separate order called, Lagomorpha. This is because they have an extra pair of incisors located behind the larger ones in the upper jaw which rodents do not have.
While rabbits and hares are considered mild mannered and rabbits are often kept as pets, the eating and gnawing habits of these creatures are a real problem for farmers. Ruining crops they can be real pests which multiply quickly and are difficult for farmers to control.
In North America the main type of rabbit is the cottontail rabbit, although the jackrabbit, snowshoe hare, and domestic rabbit are also well established here.
Both rabbits and hares eat a variety of herbs, grasses, and vegetables, helping themselves to plants which grow wild or in a garden or planted field. They will also chew tree bark and consume buds and berries in the winter. The young, like other mammals, drinks milk produced by the mother’s body for a few days after birth.
Rabbits and hares are small furry animals ranging in size from 12-24' (30-60 cm) in length and weighing 2-11 pounds (1-5 kg.). They have long sensitive ears and a nose sensitive to smell which is twitched or wiggled while smelling.
A short tail is usually held erect and on the cottontail rabbit the underside of the tail is white giving this rabbit its name. The hind feet and legs are large and powerful, looking oversized for the rest of the body. Each hind foot has only 4 toes while the forefeet each have 5 toes.
Both rabbits and hares have thick fur for which they are often hunted. Their coat is made up of 2 kinds of hair. One type is a soft dense underhair which provides insulation. The second type is a longer coarse hair which provides protection and coloration.
The main difference between rabbits and hares is in that of their offspring. Rabbit babies are born naked and blind while hares are born with fur and with vision. A few less distinct differences exist though.
One difference is that hares are generally larger than rabbits. They also have longer ears and hind legs. This gives hares the added advantage of a longer leap. In addition, while many hares have coats which turn white during the winter rabbits keep their coloration no matter what the season. Hares also have characteristic black markings or tips on each ear that the rabbit does not.
Another difference includes their nesting habits. Rabbits tend to be social creatures living in large colonies in underground burrows. Adult hares do not usually live together and the female creates a simple indentation or flattened area called a form to deliver her young.
Coyotes, foxes, lynxes, wolves, mountain lions, and wildcats all prey upon rabbits and hares. Owls and hawks also hunt these creatures and red squirrels will sometimes attack their young.
For protection both rabbits and hares tend to rely on speed. Using their powerful back legs and feet even the cottontail rabbit is able to leap 8’ in one jump. They also can run at full speed then stop and suddenly change directions, sending their pursuer over cliffs and head first into objects.
To detect their predators rabbits rely on their hearing. Once a predator has been spotted their vision which allows them to see in all directions simultaneously helps them to track the approaching enemy while searching for shelter.
Rabbits will often warn each other by flashing their tails and domestic rabbits will thump their hind feet to warn of approaching danger.
Both rabbits and hares breed prolifically. They bear 4-8 litters a year with 3-8 young in each litter. The gestation period is only about one month and both animals reach sexual maturity in about 6 months. The young of both rabbits and hares develop quickly with the offspring of even the slowest growing rabbits ready to leave the nest in 10 to 12 days. By 3 weeks old they are able to care for themselves.
This ability to reproduce has caused problems in many areas where the creatures originate, but the consequences are even more profound in countries in which they have been introduced.
Around 1860 seven rabbits were released for sport hunting in Australia. Since that time, with no natural predators in this country, the numbers have grown to become a serious problem. The total population has grown as high as 500 million rabbits.
In 1951 an attempt to control the population was tried by promoting a virus deadly only to true rabbits. This worked only in areas where there was sufficient water for the mosquitoes which carried the virus to reproduce. Today the rabbit population in Australia continues to be a problem
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Rabbit Facts
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