There are many differences between hares and rabbits, but taxonomic classification is the key to determining how the two lepórids of athletic morphology, long ears and strong posterior limbs differ, we will still delve 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 Animal Expert, we invite you to discover the differences between hare and rabbit.Keep reading, some of the curiosities we mentioned will surprise you!
- We can detect the first difference between rabbits and hares when we analyze the taxonomy of the two animals.
- As we have already revealed.
- Rabbits and hares belong to the family of leprodies (lepórides) of more than fifty species of animals grouped into eleven genera.
Hares are the 32 species belonging to the genus Lepus
Rabbits, on the other hand, are all animals belonging to the leprosy family, excluding species belonging to the genus Lepus, so rabbits of all species belonging to the remaining 10 genes of the leprodia family are considered: Brachylagus, Bunolagus, Caprolagus, Nesolagus, Oryctolagus, Pentalagus, Poelagus, Pronolagus, Romerolagus and Sylagvilus.
European hares (Lepus europaeus) are distributed throughout Britain, Western Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia; however, humans also introduced hares on other continents, these animals create flat grass nests and prefer to live in open fields and pastures.
European rabbits (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 excavate to form complex burrows, mainly in the forest and in the bush fields. They prefer to live near sea level, in areas with sandy and soft soil.
Unlike hares, rabbits have learned to live with humans, fleeing farmland, where their dens are destroyed, events that have led to the colonization of rabbits in new areas unconsciously and inadvertently.
Morphology is another important aspect to consider when talking about the differences between rabbit and hare.
European hares have 48 chromosomes. They are slightly larger than rabbits, as they have an average length of 68 cm, are yellowish brown or grayish brown.The inner part of the fur is greyish white, its tail is black at the top and grey white at the bottom, its ears are about 98 mm long and have black spots, one characteristic to mention is its articulated skull.
There is no sexual dimorphism that differentiates women from men with the naked eye, in addition, in winter hares change fur, acquiring a grayish white tone, are sports animals, which can reach 64 km / hy perform jumps up to 3 meters high.
European rabbits have 44 chromosomes. They are smaller than hares and have shorter ears, are about 44 cm long and can weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg, yet the size and weight can vary greatly depending on the breed when it comes to breeds of domestic rabbits.
The fur of wild rabbits can combine shades of grey, black, brown or red, combined with a light grey inner fur and a white tail.The ears are short, as are their legs, and have much less powerful tips than hares.
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the ancestor of all the domestic rabbits we know today, exceeding the 80 races recognized by the different world federations.
European hares are solitary, twilight and nocturnal, we can only observe them during the day during the mating season, these animals are active all year round, mainly at night, but during the hours of sun, they look for areas of low ground to rest. .
They feed on various predatory animals such as foxes, wolves, coyotes, wild cats, falcons and owls. With their excellent sense of sight, smell and hearing, hares quickly detect any threat, reaching high speeds and being able to dodge predators with sudden changes.in the direction.
They communicate through guttural growls and teeth grinding, which are interpreted as a sign of danger.Hares also often make an acute call when they are injured or trapped.
European rabbits, in turn, are gregarious, twilight and nocturnal animals; remain in elaborate burrows, especially the largest and most complex; burrows house between 6 and 10 individuals of both sexes.Males are particularly territorial during the breeding season.
Rabbits are much quieter than hares, yet they are able to make loud noises when they are afraid or injured, they also communicate with signs, smells and pounding with their feet on the ground, a system that helps members of the colony warn of imminent danger.
The diet of hares and rabbits is very similar, since both are herbivorous animals, in addition, both perform coprophagia, that is, eating their own faeces, which allows them to absorb all the necessary nutrients in the food.
Hares feed mainly on pastures and crops, but in winter they also eat branches, shoots and bark from shrubs, small trees and fruit trees, while rabbits eat grass, leaves, shoots, roots and tree bark.
One of the most notable differences between rabbits and hares can be observed after the birth of puppies: while hares are early (puppies are born fully developed, ready to rise up and perform the functions of adult individuals), rabbits are dwarfs (puppies are born blind, deaf and lampiños, completely dependent on their parents). In addition, there are more differences:
Hares breed in winter, especially in January and February, and also in mid-summer, their gestation lasts an average of 56 days and the size of the litter can vary greatly, from 1 to 8 individuals.Weeding occurs when puppies reach the first month of life.of life and sexual maturity reaches about 8 or 12 months.
Rabbits can breed year-round, but usually do so during the first two trimesters, gestation is shorter, with an average of 30 days, and litter size is more stable, between 5 and 6 individuals.Rabbits are known for their high capacity reproductiva.de capacity, as they can have several litters a year. Rabbits snever 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 around 90% in the first year of age.
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