Whether out in the countryside or in a pet shop, it’s hard not to fall for the cute and cuddly rabbit; long-eared bundles of fluff that hop around, munching on greens and vegetables. There are 10 different genera of rabbits, which can be found in at least 70 countries around the world, and you’ve probably seen quite a few in your time. What about the jackrabbit?
If you are familiar with your fables, you’ll remember that this long-eared racer is actually a hare. While hares have many similarities with rabbits, and are even commonly called jackrabbits, there are some fundamental differences that set them apart.
You may well wonder, “If they aren’t rabbits, why are hares called jackrabbits?” Before we look at how they got their name, let’s examine these animals’ key identifying characteristics.
All in the family
Even though hares and rabbits belong to separate genera, they are from the same family. This accounts for their many similarities and pardons all confusion.
Rabbits, hares, and the short-eared pikas all belong to the family Lagomorpha. Lagomorphs (meaning “hare-shaped”) differ from rodents in that they possess a second pair of peg-shaped incisors behind the prominent buck teeth in the upper jaw.
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Another characteristic of lagomorphs that sets them apart from rodents, is their fuzzy feet. Rodents have a rubbery sole to their paws, where rabbits, hares and pikas have fur.
Lagomorphs and rodents alike eat their droppings, called “cecotropes,” to extract additional nutrients. Similar to how cows and other ruminants chew their cud, lagomorphs get the most from their food by chewing it twice. The first droppings are relatively soft, but after they are digested a second time they become hard. The second droppings are not consumed.
Jackrabbit or real rabbit?
So, how exactly do we distinguish between hares and rabbits? The differences are not only seen in physiological aspects, but also their behavior, habitat, and diet.
Physiology
Hares usually have longer and more slender bodies, made to help them zip around at high speed. Their legs are also longer, sporting big paws that are great for running. Rabbits have smaller, stubbier paws, more suitable for hopping than bounding.
Hares have longer ears than rabbits, and the tips of said ears are black. Their eyes also tend to bulge, compared with rabbits’ puppy-dog eyes which give them that adorable look.
The coats of hares are usually of a solid, neutral color, often changing to white in the winter. Rabbits, however, wear a wide variety of colors and patterns, and are less likely to change their coat for the seasons.
Behavior
When it comes to their behavior, hares are solitary creatures. They only come together during the spring mating season, during which females chase and box away at males to test their right to mate. It’s these frantic boxing matches that gave rise to the phrase “madder than a March hare.”
Rabbits are more social animals, living in groups of up to 20 in a network of underground burrows called a “warren.” Male rabbits are territorial and will fight other males to preserve control over a warren.
Rabbits are adept at hiding from predators amongst existing vegetation, whereas hares lie still out in the open, with only their camouflage to protect them. If that fails, the hare can run with their powerful back legs, reaching speeds of up to 45 mph. Rabbits can only run up to 35 mph.
Habitat
Of the many genera of rabbits, all burrow within their own habitat — be it the mountains, deserts, grasslands or woodlands. Cottontail rabbits prefer open and brushy areas with a varied food source and ample protection. Some rabbits even live close to water like the swamp rabbit or the marsh rabbit.
Hares, on the other hand, are more at home out in the open, bounding around plains and prairies. Rather than burrowing into the earth, hares make nests in small depressions in the ground called “forms.”
Diet
Given their somewhat barren habitat, hares feed on coarser vegetation than rabbits, eating bits of grass, tree bark and twigs.
Rabbits, in their more lush surroundings, enjoy the benefits of diverse vegetation, consuming the fresh leaves and flowers of a variety of native plants and vegetables (both wild and cultivated!). Being slower and more territorial than hares, rabbits generally stay close to their food sources.
Offspring
The gestation period for a rabbit is about 30 days. Newborn babies — called kits — have no fur and their eyes are closed shut. This makes them extremely vulnerable, and they need continuous care from their parents to survive. It takes about six to eight weeks for them to be weaned off their mother’s milk before they can venture out on their own. By that time they can be called “bunnies” or young rabbits.
For hares, the gestation period is longer, being around 42 days. Their babies — known as leverets — are born already covered in fur, and their eyes are open. Because of this, infants don’t need as much parental care and the mother only tends to them at feeding time.
Domestication
Barring a few rare cases, hares have never been domesticated. These timid, solitary animals need lots of space to run around; so even if you could make friends with one, it would never be happy confined to your home.
Due to their docile yet social nature, you can almost always find rabbits in any pet shop. Rabbits are clean, quiet pets that bond with their owners and provide many years of mutual adoration. Choose one from a shelter, and it will love you all the more.
If you are considering a rabbit pet, keep in mind that, like any animal, rabbits need daily exercise. This can consist of a few hours of roaming the house or a secure area outdoors each day. As rabbits are born to burrow, a simple fenced yard will not contain them. Consider also the fact that their teeth are always growing, so they need appropriate things to gnaw on – lest they start gnawing on your household possessions.
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What’s in a name?
So, if hares are different from rabbits, why are they also called jackrabbits?
Jackrabbits were actually named because of their long ears, which resemble those of donkeys. Since a male donkey is called a jackass, people combined the words to come up with “jackass rabbits.” Author Mark Twain popularized the name by featuring it in his western adventure novel, Roughing It.
Later on, the name was shortened to “jackrabbit.”
And it’s not only jackrabbits with misleading names. The “rock hare” and the “hispid hare” are actually rabbits! But now that you know what to look for, you’ll be able to tell the difference.
