Content
- The family of rabbits and hares
- Difference between Hare and Rabbit - Habitat
- Difference between rabbit and hare - Morphology
- Difference between Hare and Rabbit - Behavior
- Difference between rabbit and hare - Food
- Difference between hare and rabbit - Reproduction
There are many differences between hares and rabbits , but taxonomic classification is the key to determining how the two leporids differ in athletic morphology, long ears and strong hind limbs. Even so, we will go deeper into the characteristics and behavior of the two animals, such as morphology, habitat or reproduction, among others.
Can't you tell the difference between rabbits and hares? In this article by PeritoAnimal, we invite you to know the differences between hare and rabbit. Keep reading, some of the trivia we mentioned will surprise you!
The family of rabbits and hares
We can detect the first difference between rabbits and hares when we analyze the taxonomy of both animals. As we have already revealed, rabbits and hares belong to the leporid family (leporidae) which have more than fifty species of animals grouped into eleven genera.
At hares are the 32 species that belong to gender lepus:
- lepus alleni
- Lepus americanus
- Lepus arcticus
- othus lepus
- timidus lepus
- Lepus californicus
- Lepus callotis
- Lepus capensis
- Lepus flavigulis
- lepus insularis
- Lepus saxatilis
- tibetanus lepus
- tolai lepus
- Lepus Castroviejoi
- common lepus
- Lepus coreanus
- lepus corsicanus
- Lepus europaeus
- Lepus mandschuricus
- Lepus oiostolus
- lepus starcki
- Lepus townsendii
- Lepus fagani
- Lepus microtis
- hainanus lepus
- Lepus niricollis
- Lepus cepensis
- Lepus sinensis
- Yarkandensis Lepus
- Lepus brachyurus
- Lepus habessinicus
You rabbits, on the contrary, are all the animals that belong to the family leporidae, excluding species belonging to the genus lepus. Therefore, we consider rabbits to all species that belong TheOthe remaining 10 genera of the family leporidae: Brachylagus, Bunolagus, caprolagus, Nesolagus, Oryctolagus, Pentalagus, Poelagus, pronolagus, Romerolagus y Sylvilagus.
Difference between Hare and Rabbit - Habitat
At european hares (Lepus europaeus) are distributed throughout Great Britain, Western Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. However, man has also artificially inserted hares into other continents. These animals breed flat grass nests and prefer open fields and pastures to live.
You european rabbits, in its turn, (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are present in the Iberian Peninsula, small areas of France and North Africa, although they are also present in other continents due to human intervention. These animals dig to form complex burrows, mainly in the forest and in fields with bushes. They prefer to live close to sea level, in areas with soft, sandy soil.
Unlike hares, rabbits have learned to live with humans. They flee the agricultural land, where they see their dens destroyed. These facts favored the colonization of rabbits in new areas in an unconscious and unnoticed way.
Difference between rabbit and hare - Morphology
Morphology is another important aspect to consider when we talk about the differences between rabbit and hare.
At european hares have 48 chromosomes. They are slightly larger than rabbits, as they have a average length of 68 cm. They have a yellowish brown or grayish brown. The inner part of the coat is grayish white. Its tail is black at the top and white gray at the bottom. Their ears measure around 98 mm and have black spots. A feature that deserves to be highlighted is its articulated skull.
There is no sexual dimorphism that differentiates females from males with the naked eye. Also, in winter the hares change their coat, gaining a tone. grayish white. They are athletic animals, which can reach the 64 km/hour and perform jumps of up to 3 meters in height.
You european rabbits have 44 chromosomes. They are smaller than hares and have shorter ears. Measure about 44 cm long and can weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg. Even so, size and weight can vary greatly by breed when we talk about domestic rabbit breeds.
The fur of wild rabbits can match shades of grey, black, brown or red, combined with a light gray inner coat and white tail. The ears are short, as are their legs, and they have extremities much less powerful than the hares.
The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the ancestor of all domestic rabbits that we currently know, which surpass the 80 races recognized by the different world federations.
Difference between Hare and Rabbit - Behavior
At european hares are lonely, twilight and night. We can only observe them in the daytime during the mating season. These animals are active throughout the year, mainly at night, but during sunny hours they seek lowland areas to rest.
They are prey to various predatory animals such as foxes, wolves, coyotes, wild cats, hawks and owls. thanks to your excellent senses of sight, smell and hearing, the hares quickly detect any threat, reaching high speeds and being able to dodge predators with sudden changes of direction.
communicate through guttural grunts and creaking teeth, which are interpreted as a sign of danger. Hares also often make a high call when they are wounded or trapped.
In turn, the european rabbits are animals gregarious, twilight and nocturnal. They lodge in very elaborate burrows, especially large and complex ones. The burrows house between 6 and 10 individuals of both genders. Males are especially territorial during the breeding season.
rabbits are much quieter than the hares. Even so, they are capable of making loud noises when they are frightened or injured. They also communicate with signs, smells and through the paw the ground, a system that helps colony members warn of impending danger.
Difference between rabbit and hare - Food
The feeding of hares and rabbits is very similar, as they are both herbivorous animals. In addition, the two perform coprophagy, that is, the consumption of their own excrement, which allows you to absorb all the necessary nutrients from the food.
At hares They feed mainly on grass and crops, but in winter they also ingest twigs, shoots and bark from shrubs, small trees and fruit trees. In turn, the rabbits they ingest grass, leaves, shoots, roots and tree bark.
Difference between hare and rabbit - Reproduction
One of the most notable differences between rabbits and hares can be seen after the hatchlings are born. while the hares are precocious (Pups are born fully developed, ready to get up and perform the functions proper to adult individuals) the rabbits are altricial (Pups are born blind, deaf and hairless, completely dependent on their parents). In addition, there are more differences:
At hares they breed in winter, specifically in January and February, and also in midsummer. Your pregnancy lasts a 56 average days and litter size can vary enormously from 1 to 8 individuals. Weaning takes place when the puppies complete the first month of life and their sexual maturity reaches around 8 or 12 months of age.
You rabbits they can breed year-round, but generally do so during the first two trimesters. Pregnancy is shorter, with a average of 30 days, and the litter size is more stable, standing between 5 and 6 individuals. Rabbits are known for their great reproductive capacity, as they can have several litters per year. Rabbits wean when they reach the first month of life and their sexual maturity reaches 8 months of life. Unlike hares, the mortality of wild rabbits is about 90% during the first year of age.
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