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Jackrabbits | Jackrabbit Overview | Jackrabbit Damage Assessment | Jackrabbit Damage Management | Jackrabbit Acknowledgments | Jackrabbit Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
Identification
Figure 1. Blacktail jackrabbit, Lepus californicus (left); whitetail jackrabbits, L. townsendii (middle);showshoe hare, L. americanus (right).
Three major species of jackrabbits occur in North America (Fig. 1). These hares are of the genus Lepus and are represented primarily by the blacktail jackrabbit, the whitetail jackrabbit, and the snowshoe hare. Other members of this genus include the antelope jackrabbit and the European hare. Hares have large, long ears, long legs, and a larger body size than rabbits. The whitetail jackrabbit is the largest hare in the Great Plains, having a head and body length of 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) and weighing 5 to 10 pounds (2.2 to 4.5 kg). It is brownish gray in summer and white or pale gray in winter. The entire tail is white. The blacktail jackrabbit, somewhat smaller than its northern cousin, weighs only 3 to 7 pounds (1.3 to 3.1 kg) and is 17 to 21 inches (43 to 53 cm) long. It has a grayish-brown body, large black-tipped ears, and a black streak on the top of its tail. The snowshoe hare is 13 to 18 inches (33 to 46 cm) long and weighs 2 to 4 pounds (0.9 to 1.8 kg). It has larger feet than the whitetail and blacktail jackrabbits. The snowshoe turns white in winter and is a dark brown during the summer. Its ears are smaller than those of the other hares. The antelope jackrabbit is 19 to 21 inches (48 to 53 cm) long and weighs 6 to 13 pounds (2.7 to 5.9 kg). Its ears are extremely large and its sides are a pale white. The European hare is the largest of the hares in the Northeast, weighing 7 to 10 pounds (3.1 to 4.5 kg) and reaching 25 to 27 inches (63 to 68 cm) in size. This nonnative hare is brownish gray year-round.
General Biology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Members of the genus Lepus are born well-furred and able to move about. Little or no nest is prepared, although the young are kept hidden for 3 to 4 days. Females may produce up to 4 litters per year with 2 to 8 young per litter. Reproductive rates may vary from year to year depending on environmental conditions.
Where food and shelter are available in one place, no major daily movement of hares occurs. When food areas and shelter areas are separated, morning and evening movements may be observed. Daily movements of 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.2 km) each way are fairly common. In dry seasons, 10-mile (16-km) round trips from desert to alfalfa fields have been reported.
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Jackrabbits | Jackrabbit Overview | Jackrabbit Damage Assessment | Jackrabbit Damage Management | Jackrabbit Acknowledgments | Jackrabbit Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
Range
The whitetail jackrabbit is found mainly in the north central and north-western United States and no further south than the extreme north central part of New Mexico and southern Kansas (Fig. 2a).The blacktail jackrabbit is found mainly in the south-western United States and the southern Great Plains, and no further north than central South Dakota and southern Washington (Fig. 2b). Snowshoe hares occupy the northern regions of North America, including Canada, Alaska, the northern continental United States, and the higher elevations as far south as New Mexico (Fig. 2c). Antelope jackrabbits are found only in southern Arizona, New Mexico, and western Mexico. The European hare is found only in southern Quebec, New York, and other New England states.
James E. Knight. Extension Wildlife Specialist. Animal and Range Sciences. Montana State University. Bozeman, Montana 59717
