Hare brief information.

19.08.2016

Lagomorphs are a small order of mammals, with only two families and 66 species. These include pikas, rabbits and hares. There are the most hares among them, there are 48 species. I tried to present interesting facts about hares to you below.

These are unusually fast and agile animals, capable of confusing their tracks, escaping from numerous enemies. Many of them change the color of their fur depending on the season and are able to hide so as not to get caught in the teeth of their pursuer.
Despite the diversity protective devices, in nature, hares rarely manage to live more than 1-2 years.
In warm climates, a female hare can bear up to five litters per year. She gives birth to an average of 8, but sometimes up to 20 cubs at a time.
Hares begin breeding at the age of one year.
Bunnies are born already wearing a fur coat, sighted and fully formed.
Hares larger than rabbits. Their body length is approximately 60 centimeters. Their legs are also longer than rabbits.
Caught hares often die from heart failure as a result of a state of shock.
Hares run fast. Their speed can reach 50 km/h. It is not so easy for numerous enemies to catch up with them. On top of that, they can brake sharply and change direction easily, which slows down the pursuer.
Hares feed at night. During the day, they hide in the grass or under the paws of spruce trees, having previously confused their tracks. Before hiding, the hare returns back along its own trail and jumps a long distance so that the predator cannot trace the direction of its run.
The hare was nicknamed “Slanty” for his wide-set eyes. With their help, the animal constantly monitors what is happening around it in order to escape from danger in time.
During the breeding season - in March, hares become crazy and stop being careful. In England, it is not for nothing that when describing the extravagant behavior of people, they compare it with the behavior of the “March hare”.
The hare feeds the newborn babies, and then immediately leaves them to feed herself and return to the babies again, confusing her tracks. After about two weeks, the rabbits begin to consume plant food, only then the mother leaves them forever.
Browns, unlike hare, although they lighten up in winter, do not become completely white. Whites in the southern regions, where there is no snow, do not change their color, but in the north they always remain white.
Climbing hares have sharp curved claws and can climb trees. In Russia they live in the Ussuri taiga.
Hares communicate by drumming. With a special rhythmic stomping on the ground, they inform their relatives that the territory is occupied.
Like rodents, the front teeth of lagomorphs wear down and grow throughout their lives. But they differ from rodents in the number of gnawing teeth and their structure.
Hares have sharp claws; when protected with their hind paws, they can tear the stomach of an enemy. Female hares protect their young if they are attacked by a small bird, such as a crow.
In the city of Kovrov, Vladimir region, there is a Zaitsev museum.

The saying “For every hare there are a hundred hunters” is not an exaggeration. In all countries of the world, people are also not averse to eating the meat of these animals. Only the colossal speed of reproduction saves them from complete extinction.

Hares live all over the globe. Hares are hunted all over the world. Sometimes people are surprised that these animals are not yet extinct. There are many hares only because they reproduce very quickly.

The image of a hare is cute, good-natured and cowardly. Hares are not at all cowardly and good-natured. In fact, this animal is capable of flying into a rage and bravely defending its life. In defense, the hare can tear the stomach and chest of a predator with its claws. There are known cases when predators died after such self-defense.

There is a documented case where a hare, raised by a domestic dog, adopted a number of habits from it, he even rushed at other dogs and bit them.

Hares are not vegetarians at all. They eat not only cabbage, but also meat! In the North, partridge catchers know well that if you do not remove the prey from the snare, the hare will quickly eat it.

Although the hare is often called cross-eyed, it does not have any strabismus. Strabismus was attributed to hares by hunters who noticed that the hare always meanders and returns to its tracks. In fact, the reason for this behavior is the asymmetry in the development of the right and left paws of hares.

The hare, like the lion, is a territorial animal. He “has no right” to violate someone else’s territory, so he only runs away within the boundaries of his “living space.”

IN summer heat Hares' ears help them protect themselves from overheating. They actively remove heat from the body. When it rains, hares fold their ears so that water does not get into them and they do not catch a cold.

Hares' teeth grow throughout their lives. They wear off when the hares chew food, but they never stop growing.

In winter, the fur on the belly of hares lengthens by a couple of millimeters so that the animal does not freeze its tummy. Hairs also grow around the nose, protecting it from frost.

To communicate between relatives, hares use their “drum roll”, which they beat with their paws. Just like elephants, animals stomp their feet on the ground, warning other animals that the territory is occupied.

Hares can spring on their legs for several kilometers in a row at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, while making unimaginable turns. You can say that they have real springs in their paws.

Ten interesting facts about these sweetest creatures...

1) Hares live all over the globe. Everywhere they are the object of hunting, but the saying “For one hare there are 10 hunters” is not an exaggeration. Hares have not become extinct only because they are very fertile.

2) Hares are not at all cowardly and good-natured. They are rather angry and restless. In defense, the hare can tear the stomach and chest of a predator with its claws. There are known cases when predators died after such self-defense.

3) There is a documented case where a hare, raised by a domestic dog, adopted a number of habits from it, he even rushed at other dogs and bit them.

4) Hares are not vegetarians at all. They eat not only cabbage, but also meat! In the North, partridge catchers know well that if you do not remove the prey from the snare, the hare will quickly eat it.

5) " Drumroll”, which hares and rabbits knock out with their paws, is their means of communication. They stomp their feet on the ground in the same way.

6) Although the hare is often called oblique, it does not have any strabismus. Strabismus was attributed to hares by hunters who noticed that the hare always meanders and returns to its tracks. In fact, the reason for this behavior is the asymmetry in the development of the right and left paws of hares.

7) The hare is, like the hare, a territorial animal. He “has no right” to violate someone else’s territory, so he only runs away within the boundaries of his “living space.”

8) Grandfather Mazai’s work is not so pleasant. Hares are afraid of boats, so they must first be caught with a net, and only then taken to a safe place.

9) The island on which the Peter and Paul Fortress stands in St. Petersburg is called Zayachiy. According to legend, one hare saved himself from the flood by jumping into the boot of Peter I. In 2003, the sculpture “The Bunny Saved from the Flood” was installed near the Peter and Paul Fortress.

10) Lenin, about whose kindness every Soviet October child knew, once in Shushenskoye during the flood of the Yenisei he came across an island with hares and killed every single one of the hares.

via Hot ten Anna Romanova.

The hare is a small mammal that has recently belonged to the order Lagomorpha and the family Lagoraceae. Before this, they were considered a type of rodent. The international scientific name of the genus of hares is Lepus (lat.). Hares only at first glance seem to be harmless animals. Thanks to powerful legs and long claws, they are able to withstand danger. Since ancient times, this furry animal has been a desirable prey for hunters because of its dietary meat and rare fur.

Hare - characteristics, description, and appearance of the animal

The hare has a slender, slightly elongated body, up to 68-70 cm long.

The hare has long ears-locators, 9 - 15 cm long. The hearing of this animal is more developed than other senses. Sound can be picked up by one ear independently of the other, which facilitates the animal's auditory orientation.

Distinctive feature The hare has a long foot of hind legs, which gives it the ability to run away from predators (fox, owl, wolf) at a speed of 80 km/h, abruptly change the direction of movement and jump to the side. A small animal can easily climb to the top of a hill, but when it comes down, it rolls head over heels.

The hare's sweat glands are located on the soles of its paws. It is almost impossible for a predator to smell a lying animal.

Hares molt in spring and autumn.

The stomach of lagomorphs is divided into two sectors. One section is for fermenting food, the other is for digesting it.

How much does an adult hare weigh?

The average weight of the animal is 5-7 kg. The hare's tail is small, raised upward.

Is a hare a rodent or not?

Lagomorphs differ in blood composition from rodents.

Another distinctive feature is the structure of the teeth. Hares have incisors in the upper jaw, 2 pairs on each side. The inert palate is a bridge connecting the right and left molars. In rodents it is in the form of a complete bone platform. There are no gaps between the protruding parts of the upper and lower teeth, which allows in the best possible way process food.

Agouti, the so-called humpbacked or golden hare, is considered a rodent.

The color of a hare is directly related to the season. In summer, its coat can be brown, reddish-gray, or brown. The color of the animal is uneven, since the fluff under the fur has a dark shade. There are also small inclusions. The fur on a hare's belly is always white. In winter, the fur of the fluffy animal becomes lighter, but only the white hare’s is impeccably white. The tips of the ears of lagomorphs are black all year round.

How many years does a wild hare live?

Males live on average 5 years, females up to 9 years. A tamed hare lives much longer.

The type of eared animal has an impact on the number of years lived. So, a white hare can live up to 17 years. Such cases are unique. Browns live much shorter lives, usually 5 years. Very rarely live to 14 years.

The American hare lives on average 7-8 years. The black-tailed hare lives up to a maximum of 6 years, but often representatives of this species die much earlier from disease or predators. The lifespan of an agouti (or, as they are also called, a golden or humpback hare) can reach 20 years.

Seal - sea hare lives approximately 30 years, males often live only up to 25 years.

Types of hares

The genus of hares consists of a dozen subgenera, each of which is divided into species.

White hare (Latin: Lepus timidus). Body length is about 44-65 cm; weight 1.6-4.5 kg. A distinctive feature of this white hare is its ability to masterfully camouflage itself. A hare has a white fur color in winter; in summer it acquires fur grey colour. White hare– the goal of many sport hunters. Habitat: Russia (including the Arctic); China, Mongolia, northern Europe, South America.

Brown hare (Latin: Lepus europaeus). The largest representative of lagomorphs, has brown fur. The body length is 68 cm, weight up to seven kilograms. The fur shines and curls a little. The tail and ears are larger than those of the hare. The hare, one might say, is a steppe hare. Habitat: Europe, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Transcaucasia, Arabian Peninsula, North Africa.

Antelope hare (Latin: Lepus alleni). The body length is 45-60 cm. A distinctive feature of the antelope hare is its impressively sized ears, up to 20 cm. They help normalize the animal’s heat exchange in hot climates. Lives this type in northwestern Mexico and American Arizona.

The Chinese hare (Latin: Lepus sinensis) is distinguished by its miniature size. The body length is 30-45 cm, weight is within 2 kg. Fur color varies from chestnut to red. The coat is short and harsh in texture. Habitat: China, Taiwan and Vietnam; inhabits mainly elevated areas.

Tolai hare (Latin: Lepus tolai). Outwardly it has similar features to the hare, only noticeably more compact in size. Body length 39-55 cm, weight 1.5-2.8 kg. The fat hare's limbs and ears are larger than those of the brown hare. Lives in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Northeast China and Mongolia. Almost everywhere in Russia.

Yellowish hare (Latin: Lepus flavigularis). Body length 60 cm, weight 4 kg. The ears and legs are large. The yellowish hare has an original ear color. From their base to the back of the head there are two black stripes, the sides white. Hare's habitat: the coast of the Gulf of Tehuantepec in Mexico. Terrain: Coastal grassy dunes and open grasslands. Stays awake in the dark.

Broom hare (Latin: Lepus castroviejoi). The body length of a hare of this species is 45-65 cm, weight is from 2.6 to 3.2 kg. The color of the hare is black-brown, with small white patches. It lives in Spain and is listed in the Red Book of this country. The species is widespread in areas with little vegetation. In many characteristics, the broom hare is similar to the brown hare.

Black-tailed (California) hare (Latin: Lepus californicus). Body length 47-63 cm, weight 1.5-3 kg. Distinctive feature The species are long ears and massive hind legs. The fur on the upper part of the body is gray-brown in color. The back of the animal is decorated with a black stripe. The population of these lagomorphs is most impressive in the western United States and Mexico. The black-tailed hare is a loner.

Manchurian hare (Latin: Lepus mandshuricus). The body size of the Manchurian hare is 40-55 cm, weight 1.3-2.5 kg. The legs, tail and ears are relatively short, which gives Manchurian hare similar features to the wild (European) rabbit. The fur is hard and bristly. The color of the coat is brown, uneven, with gray patches. Along the back there is a stripe of darker color long hair. Found in the south Far East Russia, in the Chinese region of Manchuria and in northern Korea. We can say that this is a forest hare that prefers deciduous forests with dense bushes.

Tibetan curly hare (Latin: Lepus oiostolus). The length of the body is 40-58 cm. Weight is 2.3 kg. The fur of this animal has a yellowish tint, and the fur on the back is slightly wavy. Habitat: China, India, Nepal. Terrain: highlands of Tibet.

Agouti (Latin: Dasyprocta) or South American golden hare(humpback hare). This animal belongs to the order of rodents and is a relative guinea pigs. Agouti is also popularly called the golden (or golden) hare. This animal has a body length of 50 cm and weighs about 4 kg. It received its second name due to its golden color. The humpback hare is widespread in Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil. Agoutis are very good swimmers.

The hare, unlike the rabbit, which is a burrowing animal, needs space and a lot of movement. If desired, hares can be bred at home, following certain rules.

Features of keeping a hare at home:

The hare needs a spacious cage or enclosure.
Walking around the apartment. Until the age of 1 month under close supervision, from 1 month free walking.
The hare must be vaccinated and dewormed.
The little bunny should be immediately taught to go to the toilet; diapers or dry grass should be used as litter for the tray. Granular litter cannot be used.

Hares are very sociable animals, living in apartments, they require constant interaction with humans, games, and attention. But these animals should not be held in your arms all the time; they do not like hugs.

Features of feeding a hare at home:

Hare's milk is very fatty in composition, up to 20%, so feed the hare cow's milk or human infant formula is not allowed. It is recommended to give bitch and cat milk substitutes every 3-4 hours.
You cannot sweeten milk for rabbits.
From the age of two weeks, in addition to milk, you need to give green grass, leaves and twigs.
From one and a half months, it is necessary to completely switch the teenager to solid food: green grass, twigs, berries, fruits.
From two months of age, add grain-free ready-made food to the hare's diet.

You cannot release an already tamed hare into the wild; it will not survive.

Giant Rabbit (Flanders)

One of the most amazing representatives Lagomorpha is Flanders, or Belgian giant. This is an industrial breed of rabbits. The body length of adult individuals is 67 cm, weight 7-10 kg. The wool is thick, the color is gray-hare, yellow-gray, dark gray, iron gray. The breed began to be bred in 1952.

Sea hare seal

The bearded seal, or bearded seal, belongs to the family of true seals. The body length is 2.5 meters. In winter, the weight is 360 kg. The sea hare seal lives in the shallow waters of the Northern Arctic Ocean and adjacent waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Representatives from seal skin northern peoples make household items. The pregnancy of a female sea hare lasts a year, one calf is born, with a body length of 120 cm. The ability to reproduce appears at the age of five years.

Hares are land animals; they cannot swim or climb trees. Some species love space, spaces with little vegetation. Other types belong to forest hares, inhabit places with dense thickets. Hares can live separately; some species live in colonies and build burrows. The white hare lives in the tundra, rarely in forest and forest-steppe zone. The humpbacked hare rodent is a resident of the tropics and savannah. Lagomorphs inhabit the entire Earth. Recently they were brought to Australia, South America, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia.

What does a hare eat?

Hares belong to mammals and eat food of plant origin.

Brown hare food:

White hare diet:

The humpback hare feeds on fruits and other parts of plants.

The bearded seal eats benthic invertebrates and bottom fish: flounder, cod, and goby.

In nature, hares can form pairs, but an isolated lifestyle is not uncommon. A female hare can give birth three times a year, with 5-10 hares in each litter. The gestation period is 50 days. Hares have high fertility. Cubs are born with fur and can see and walk. In the first seven days of life, rabbits need milk. But by the third week they are completely adapted to plant foods. Puberty occurs by the age of 7-11 months.

Hares communicate by making “drum rolls” with their paws.
By touching plants with their noses, hares inform their relatives of their arrival.
Despite the fact that hares are vegetarians, they can eat poultry meat, such as partridge, tearing apart game with their paws.
The hare's hind legs are asymmetrical from birth.
In hares, the phenomenon of double pregnancy sometimes occurs, when re-fertilization can occur even before the birth of the offspring.