Hare

Quick Take

• Hares have a bizarre dietary habit that sounds repulsive but is actually a clever survival adaptation, and it has nothing to do with what they hunt. Discover the dietary quirk →
• What you call a 'rabbit' might actually be a hare, and the difference matters more than you'd think. See the key differences →
• Those enormous ears aren't just for hearing. They solve a life-or-death problem most people never consider. Learn what those ears do →
• Hare leverets do something within minutes of birth that most mammals take weeks or months to achieve. See how leverets are born →

The hare is one of the fastest land mammals in the world. This speed is absolutely critical to its survival. Lacking any other formidable defenses at its disposal, the hare is a small and timid animal that can outrun predators with incredible bursts of speed and endurance. The hare is a very common sight, but many fall victim to predators or human hunters before they can die of natural causes.

3 Amazing Hare Facts

• The hare has been featured prominently in the mythology and folklore of human societies around the world. The legend of the White Hare, in which the spirit of a woman takes the form of a hare and haunts the earth at night, is a central pillar of some British folklore. These animals are also a common motif in literature and art, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In some traditions, it is depicted as a trickster.
• The hare is a crepuscular animal that is most active at dusk and dawn, generally resting during the middle of the day.
• The hare’s front teeth never stop growing throughout its life. The animal must grind the teeth down by chewing on grass.

Evolution

Hares and rabbits are believed to be descended from a ground-dwelling ancestor dubbed Hsiuannania. This creature was native to China and lived during the Paleocene Era. This animal was identified from a few teeth and jawbone fragments, but these remains can definitively be placed as originating in Asia.

Classification and Scientific Name

The hare is not a single species, but rather an entire genus known as Lepus (which is the Latin name for the hare). There are approximately 30 species within the genus Lepus. There is considerable popular confusion between the terms hare, jackrabbit, and rabbit. Hare and jackrabbit are interchangeable terms that describe the same thing, but the term rabbit applies to a different genus of animals entirely. More confusingly, five species of rabbits are actually called hares, including the endangered hispid hare of South Asia and the red rock hares of Africa.

Hare vs. Rabbit

Hares and rabbits are both animals that belong to the same family, Leporidae, and the order Lagomorpha (although they were once considered rodents). The main differences are the hare’s larger ears, more solitary lifestyle, and the tendency to bear young above ground rather than in burrows. Because the young lack protection, they must be ready to fend for themselves immediately after birth. Another difference is that with their longer muscle fibers, hares are better suited for long-distance running.

Appearance and Behavior

Hares are the largest animals in the order Lagomorpha. They are even larger than the closely related rabbits and the pikas. Measuring about 16 to 28 inches from head to tail, they are a little larger than the typical house cat. The body is complemented with 6-inch feet and 8-inch ears. The heaviest species is the arctic hare, which typically weighs around 6–12 pounds, with large individuals reaching up to 15 pounds. The male is known as a jack, while the female is called a jill. Both are fairly similar in size and appearance, though females do tend to be a little larger, which is uncommon for a mammal.

These solitary animals tend to gather in small pairs or family units called a drove. The only time they will congregate among other hares is to find an appropriate mate. Unlike rabbits, they tend to live exclusively above ground. If they need to seek out safety, then they will usually hide in grasses or shrubs.

Although they may not look it, hares are physically remarkable creatures with a finely developed sense of hearing, smell, and vision. Their wide angle of view allows them to detect predators coming from anywhere around them except for a small blind spot in front of their noses. They also produce pheromones from scent glands, which might play a role in mating.

Some species are capable of short bursts of speed between 40 and 50 mph and more consistent speeds of around 30 mph. Thanks to their powerful hind limbs, they can leap 10 feet. They are also excellent swimmers that can traverse rivers and large bodies of water without a problem.

Long Ears

The hare has impressively huge ears. In relation to body size, they are perhaps the largest among all living mammals. It is believed that they have long ears for two different reasons. First, the ears allow them to hear sounds from almost any direction. Second, the ears serve to dissipate body heat and keep the hare cool, especially during the warmer months of the year. This is essential for the animal’s survival since these animals cannot sweat or pant to work off heat. In fact, when light shines through the ear, you can sometimes see the dense patchwork of blood vessels inside of it that will swell in the heat to lower body temperatures.

Habitat

These animals occur naturally throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Because of the large number of habitats to which these animals have adapted, each species inhabits a different geographical range. The snowshoe hare is a well-known species that occurs from Alaska to the mountainous regions of California and Nevada. The African hare, as the name implies, inhabits much of Africa. The arctic hare is one of the few species adapted for the frigid extremes of northern Canada and Greenland.

The European hare — which inhabits Europe, the Middle East, and as far east as Siberia — is perhaps the most common species of hares in the world. In recent centuries, it has been introduced into Australia, New Zealand, South America, and parts of North America as hunting game. But after spreading out of control, the species is now considered a pest in many parts of the world, as it consumes crops and outcompetes local species.

Wherever they are found, these animals prefer to inhabit open areas such as meadows, grasslands, deserts, tundra, and savannas. Although this sometimes exposes them to predators, their remarkable speed often allows them to escape even in relatively open flatlands. If they need to hide, then hares will conceal themselves in the grass, shrubs, or hollows. Only a few species live in more forested regions.

Diet

Hares are herbivorous animals that mostly consume grasses in the wild. This is supplemented with nuts, fruits, vegetables, and fungi. Composed of tough cellulose, grass is extremely difficult to digest. Because these animals lack the multi-chambered stomach of cattle, deer, and other ruminants, it is believed that they have evolved to eat their own droppings, which contain many undigested nutrients. This gives them a second chance to digest whatever nutrients remain in the food.

Predators and Threats

Hares are the natural prey of many large cats, birds, and reptiles around the world. The snowshoe hare is the most common prey animal of the powerful lynx. This species goes through an unusual boom/bust cycle in which numbers crash from overhunting and then slowly begin to recover. This cycle takes place over a regular eight- to 11-year time span. Meanwhile, both the brown hare and the European hare are the prey of the fox. Other common predators include bobcats, hawks, eagles, snowy owls, wolves, coyotes, bears, and even weasels.

The hare has traditionally been a common source of food for people, and they are still among the most hunted animals today. Most of this hunting is responsibly done. However, an even greater threat is habitat loss and fragmentation, which has caused numbers to decline around the world.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

The hare’s breeding season is quite competitive and feisty. Males will fight each other for access to females, while the female will force the male to chase her as a test of his stamina and determination. This also serves to help the female stay fit. If the female is not ready to mate at all, then she may box the male right across the face with a stern punch. The hare’s breeding season varies quite a bit by species. Some species can breed at any time throughout the year, while others only breed during the spring and summer months.

Both hares and rabbits have a reputation for prolific reproduction. The female can typically produce one to eight young in a single litter (rarely up to 15) with up to three litters per year. The number of young usually depends on the abundance of food. The mother will typically carry the young in the womb for around 40 days.

Hidden in large grasses or depressions, the young hares, also known as leverets, are born with their eyes open and their fur completely grown. They are able to begin hopping within minutes of emerging from the womb. This is because leverets lack the protection of a burrow or larger group. The mother herself only visits the young once every day for very short periods, usually to nurse them.

Weaning usually begins around 10 days of life and lasts up to 23 days. Although they are functionally independent soon after birth, sexual maturity takes about one to two years in most hare species. The typical lifespan is between four and eight years in the wild. If a hare avoids disease and predation, then the maximum possible lifespan is around 12 years.

Population

The majority of hare species appear to be in relatively good health. According to the IUCN Red List, which tracks the conservation status of many animals, most hare species are currently classified as least concern. A few species, like the Corsican hare, the white-sided jackrabbit, and the black jackrabbit, are vulnerable. The Hainan hare of Hainan, China, and the Tehuantepec jackrabbit of Mexico are both endangered. Exact population figures are not available, but some species appear to be declining from agriculture and other habitat loss.

Hare in Mythology and Folklore Around the Globe

Hares have been seen in many cultures and folklore as bringers of prosperity, fertility, and abundance. They are also seen as representations of moon deities, resurrection, and rebirth. Here are some notable examples:

• Celtic Mythology: The Celts saw Hares as connectors to the Otherworld, and it was forbidden to eat them. There are many stories in Celtic mythology about shapeshifting hares that turn into people.
• Native American: Many Native Americans saw the hare as a demiurge, probably due to its proclivity to multiply swiftly, and worshipped it.
• Egyptian: Egyptians saw the hare as a representation of procreation and immortality.
• Africa: African natives see the hare as a trickster who survives through the use of great wit.
• Greek: In Greek mythology, hares are associated with Eros and Aphrodite, and they were seen as a romantic gift to be given to partners and potential love interests.
• East Asia: In Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea, Cambodia, and India, the hare is seen as a Moon deity. The Chinese see the hare as a companion to the moon goddess Chang’e. The Asian Mid-Autumn festivals are a celebration of the Moon deities and have grown from the legends of the moon goddess.

Another prominent example of the cultural celebration of the hare is the Easter Bunny, who represents the start of spring — essentially a celebration of fertility, rebirth, and renewal.