Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Hares And Rabbits And People, Conservation Status, Snowshoe Hare (lepus Americanus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

live found forests except

SNOWSHOE HARE (Lepus americanus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS
MOUNTAIN HARE (Lepus timidus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS
DESERT COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus audubonii): SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Hares and rabbits are found on every continent except Antarctica. They are native to every continent they are found on, except Australia where they were introduced.

Hares live in arctic tundra, steppes, wetlands, forests, and deserts. Rabbits live in pine and deciduous forests, desert, mountainous areas, scrubland, tropical rainforest, near rivers and streams, rocky outcroppings, grasslands, and areas of dense brush or other low-lying vegetation.

Hares and rabbits are herbivores, meaning they are plant-eaters. With a primary diet of grasses and herbs but also will feed on fruit, seeds, leaves, shoots, and bark.

Additional Topics

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Physical Characteristics

Adult rabbits and hares have a body length of 10 to 28 inches (25.4 to 71.1 centimeters) and weigh 14 ounces to 15.3 pounds (400 grams to 7 kilograms). They have short, furry tails and ear sizes vary greatly and generally are shorter in rabbits and longer in hares. The main exceptions are the rabbit breeds known as lops, which have long, floppy ears. Females are generally larger than males. Hares …

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Behavior And Reproduction

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Hares And Rabbits And People

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Conservation Status

Two species are listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as Critically Endangered, facing an extremely high risk of extinction; eight species are listed as Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction; four species are listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction; and six species are listed as Near Threatened, not currently threatened, but could become so. The primary reasons f…

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Snowshoe Hare (lepus Americanus): Species Accounts

Physical characteristics: Snowshoe hares range in length from 16.5 to 20.7 inches (41.3 to 51.8 centimeters). They weigh from 3.12 to 3.4 pounds (1.4 to 1.56 kilograms). Females are slightly larger than males. In the summer, their fur is rust or gray-brown with a black line running down their mid-back, cream colored on the sides of their lower body, and a white underside. Their face and legs are c…

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Mountain Hare (lepus Timidus): Species Accounts

Physical characteristics: The mountain hare is medium-sized with short ears and hind legs. It has a body length of 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 centimeters) and weighs 2.2 to 8.8 pounds (1 to 4 kilograms.) Their fur changes from brown in the summer to white in the winter. Geographic range: Mountain hares are found in Arctic and adjacent temperate areas of northern Europe and Asia, from Ireland to eas…

Hares and Rabbits: Leporidae - Desert Cottontail (sylvilagus Audubonii): Species Accounts

Physical characteristics: A larger cottontail with large ears. Head and body length of 14 to 15 inches (37 to 40 centimeters) and its weight is 26.5 to 44 ounces (750 to 1,250 grams). Geographic range: Desert cottontails are found in North America, from Montana south to central Mexico and west through California. Habitat: Desert and forest, from coastal areas to higher altitudes. Diet: Desert cott…

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