Most of the time, it’s easy to switch and mix up these two terms. Even though rabbits and hares are very similar, they have many differences. Besides cats and dogs, rabbits are among the most common pets, but many people confuse them with hares.
In this article, you can read about the 10 main differences between rabbits and hares and learn how to separate these two species with ease. There are a lot of unique characteristics by which you can identify them, so let’s get started!
Are Rabbits And Hares The Same Animal?
Many people get these two terms confused. Even though hares and rabbits are similar to your eye, they are completely different animals.
There are some similarities like, they have short round tails, they have a similar diet, and so on. Rabbits and hares even belong to the same family of Leporidae, which means “those that resemble lepus” (hare). Learn about their differences down below!
Rabbits And Hares Can’t Mate Reciprocally
You may think that rabbits and hares can be bred and make a rabbit-hare baby. Well, you would be wrong. Here is why.
You can’t breed hares and rabbits together, in rare events, you can get a humanmade hybrid of them, but in nature, it is just not possible. They are distant cousins when it comes to their species. Here, you will understand and learn the distinctions between rabbits and hares, and you will identify each species with ease.
There is one more difference between these two mammals, which doesn’t allow them to breed mutually. Rabbits have 22 pairs of chromosomes, and hares have 24 pairs. This means they are genetically incompatible and have different features by which they can’t crossbreed. Just like humans and apes, they are in the same family, but it’s impossible to mate with an ape.
Differences In Physical Features
For starters, one of the easiest ways to determine whether it’s a rabbit or a hare is by its physical features. There are a few features that allow us to distinguish between the two.
You can easily differentiate the two by their size and speed. Hares are generally much bigger than rabbits, they have longer ears and legs. Because of these characteristics, they are much faster than rabbits, as they live in the wilderness and need the speed to outrun predators.
Rabbits, on the other hand, have short legs and are usually kept as pets. Their fur stays the same color year-round, while hares change color from brown or grey in the summer to white in the winter.
Rabbits Are Crepuscular While Hares Are Nocturnal
This means that rabbits are active during the day, and hares at night time. They seek and have completely different routines.
Hares like to stay warm in cooler temperatures. This means that they seek food and eat it at night, and sleep it off during the day. But, they are very vulnerable during the day. They camouflage themselves into their surroundings by burrowing in the dirt and sleeping in bushes to minimize their risk of being found.
Rabbits on the other side live life from dawn to dusk. They’ll emerge from their warren during the day, scavenging for food, and returning to their hiding. Rabbits repeat this at sundown and they go back to the underground when the night comes.
Who Is Faster?
Since rabbits and hares look alike, you would think they are similar in speed. Well, you’re wrong.
Hares are much faster than rabbits. Because hares are wild animals, they need to run from their predators and hide, they can run up to 75 kilometers per hour. Hares sprint away from predators, as they like open and spacious spaces.
Rabbits dart to the nearest hiding place at the speed of 50 kilometers per hour as they run away from predators. They prefer semi-wooded areas and bushes with plenty of covers.
Younglings And Birth
If you ever find a young rabbit, called kit or kittens, or a young hare, called a leveret, there are a few ways to identify which one is which.
A litter of rabbits generally has three to eight kittens. They are born underground, hairless and blind. While on the other hand, hares are usually born in the middle of the meadow. They are generally born with fur and they can see. Therefore, they can fend for themselves quickly after they are born.
Rabbit pregnancies usually last between 28 to 34 days, while hares last from 40 to 42 days. After they are born, rabbits are generally inactive and helpless and they need the attention of their mothers for around eight weeks. In contrast, leverets do not need their mother to survive. They can live on their right away and they are weaned at around two to three weeks.
With that being said, if you ever find a kitten in the wild, which is rare, do not touch it, leave it be! If you imprint on them, there is a high chance of their mother abandoning them, and the chances of them surviving alone are very low. They will need a surrogate mother to be healthy and alive.
Lifestyle And Behavior
The lifestyle and behavior of rabbits and hares are drastically different from one another. Here is some basic information and the differences between each other.
Hares are not as social as their rabbit cousins. Most rabbits live in groups with up to 20 individuals in their so-called colony. Male rabbits usually fight within their group just to become the dominant male. The dominant male rabbit then pairs off with most of the females in his area.
On the other hand, hares live most of the time alone. Hares usually come together when they have to mate, during the mating season in March. They rarely fight, they just pair off.
Hares are mostly solitary creatures, but they may congregate in late winter and for courtship.
Even though they are cousins, do not let rabbits and hares be together, even for a short period. Hares can be a carrier of various bacterial and viral diseases to which the rabbit can succumb, while the rabbit does not have to have visible symptoms at the same time. That is why your rabbit must have NO contact with hares.
Many people want rabbits or hares as a pet, but which one can you actually keep & tame?
Only rabbits can be tamed and kept as a pet. Hares, on the other hand, are not tameable at all! They are feral and like to be free.
Do not keep hares in a carrier or confined space for long periods because, unlike rabbits, they do not live in tunnels underground in nature and need a large and screened space – otherwise they will injure themselves. They are prone to self-harm during prolonged confinement and under certain conditions.
One thing that’s very interesting about rabbits and hares is their approach to water. Hares are very capable swimmers and the water doesn’t bother them. They love to cross lakes, rivers, or ponds to get from one side to another.
Nutrition
The dietary preferences of rabbits and hares are not drastic, but they are considered pests by farmers and agriculturists.
Both of them are herbivores, but rabbits tend to feed on tender leaves and shoots, such as lettuce, hay, grass, and some softer, fresh vegetables. On the contrary, hares prefer woodier materials such as barks and twigs but they also eat leaves and berries.
Apart from herbivore hares, some breeds are carnivores, such as Snowshoe Hare. They live in cold climates and do whatever they need to stay warm and survive. They are scavengers, which means that they will find a corpse and take what they can from it, even if it is another hare.
Knowing these differences can certainly help you, either when you’re adopting a new pet or if you spot a new friend in the wild. Just remember: Return hares into nature and keep your rabbits out of it!