Hare

Many, see text

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Hares and jackrabbits belong to family Leporidae, and mostly in genus Lepus. Very young hares are called leverets.

Related Topics:
Family - Leporidae - Genus

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They are very fast moving. The European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) can run at speeds of up to 70 km/h (45 mi/h). Hares live solitarily or in pairs.

Related Topics:
European Brown Hare - Km/h - Mi/h

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A common type of hare in arctic North America is the Snowshoe Hare, replaced further south by the Black-tailed Jackrabbit, White-tailed Jackrabbit and other species.

Related Topics:
North America - Snowshoe Hare - Black-tailed Jackrabbit - White-tailed Jackrabbit

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Normally a shy animal, the European Brown Hare changes its behaviour in spring, when hares 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"; one hare striking another with its 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.

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Hares do not bear their young below ground in a burrow as do other Leporidae, but rather in a shallow depression or flattened nest of grass called a form. Young hares are adapted to the lack of physical protection offered by a burrow by being precocial, born fully furred and with eyes open. By contrast, the related rabbits and cottontail rabbits are altricial, having young that are born blind and hairless.

Related Topics:
Burrow - Form - Precocial - Rabbit - Cottontail rabbit - Altricial

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The hare's diet is very similar to that of the rabbit.

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