Mary Allen
The rabbit has a permanent place in the history of fairy tales and fables. “Master lamp” plays an important role in idioms, stories, and of course in his capacity as an Easter bunny. Rabbits are also present in literature: With “Watership Down” Richard Adams created a masterpiece with rabbits in the lead role. But do you know the differences between bunnies and rabbits?
There is already some confusion of terms in everyday language: in the jargon of rabbit breeders, female rabbits are referred to as “rabbits”. A common but misnomer for house rabbits is “stable hare”. “Hare rabbits” are rabbits whose physique has been approximated by breeding to that of hares. Crossbreeds between wild rabbits and hares are biologically impossible. Our domesticated house rabbits are descended from the wild rabbits and come in countless colors and breeds. You will never see rabbits as pets: They are on the red list of endangered species in Germany.
What’s the Difference?
Hare-like rabbit belongs to the order of the rabbit-like and to the family of the “real rabbits”. In terms of genus history, the hare and rabbit are distant relatives, each with its own species.
If you look at rabbits and hares, you can see the differences: rabbits are small and stocky, while hares are noticeably larger, slender animals. Hares have longer ears than rabbits. The legs are also longer and more muscular. Rabbits are usually solitary animals, but rabbits live in larger groups.
Where Do Hares and Rabbits Come From?
Brown hares were initially only found in the Old World. With people, they came to New Zealand, Australia, South America, and island locations like Oceania. The wild rabbit – the progenitor of the domestic rabbit – originally comes from the Iberian Peninsula and a small area in North Africa. Today it is spread all over Europe, with the exception of northern Scandinavia, and has also become naturalized in South America and Australia.
In urban areas with green spaces, rabbits feel at home as cultural followers – in parks and cemeteries, they sometimes cause trouble with their great appetite. Rabbits have also adapted excellently to their respective habitats. With the exception of Antarctica, they live all over the world today, in the tundra as well as in tropical forest areas. Nevertheless, the hare is an endangered wild animal in this country. The natural habitats of animals are declining significantly as a result of agriculture. This is certainly one reason why biologists have been increasingly observing rabbits in suburban locations and urban green spaces for some time.
Outdoor Fanatics and Civil Engineering Specialists
In contrast to rabbits, rabbits live in larger family groups and build caves that connect them with extensive tunnel systems. Their excavation activities are not without problems, for example when they “populate” dikes. Rabbits are crepuscular. There is no imminent danger, but you can also enjoy a relaxing sunbath.
The significantly larger rabbit is not a talented civil engineer. He seeks protection under bushes, in tall grass, or in crevices. There he creates a trough called “Sasse”. This exposed way of life is also the reason why the young leave the nest early.
What Do Bunnies and Rabbits Eat?
Rabbits and rabbits agree on the menu: Both are pure herbivores and feed on greens in the form of grass, leaves, roots, and herbs. In barren times and in winter, they also do not disdain tree bark.
Another thing they have in common is a curious way of digestion. Both animals do not form any cellulosea-splitting enzymes, so that fermentation must take place in the appendix. The vitamin-rich excrement formed there is eaten again to break down the nutrients.
When the Going Gets Tough: the Hare Run Away and the Basement Hideout
Also connecting enemies: Predators such as foxes, birds of prey, and corvids are among the predators of the hare and rabbit. If predators are nearby, rabbits dash into their underground burrow, from which they never stray too far. Rabbits, on the other hand, seek their salvation in flight. They run away from attackers at lightning speed and show the characteristic hooking of the hook. Thanks to their perseverance, long-distance runners usually leave their pursuers behind. They reach top speeds of 70 kilometers per hour and a jump force of two meters. Impressive, isn’t it?
How Do Rabbits and Hares Reproduce?
Hares and rabbits are active at night and at dawn, and during the mating season, they can also be observed during the day. Male rabbits – the rammers – organize spectacular “boxing matches” at this time to drive away rivals. Female rabbits can have young several times a year. The mating season lasts from January to October. After a gestation period of 42 days, two to eight, in exceptional cases up to 15 young animals are born. Little rabbits take off immediately after birth: They are born with fur and eyes open and are able to leave the Sasse after a short time.
The mating season of wild rabbits varies with the surrounding climate. They compensate for the high rate of offspring mortality with an increased reproduction rate and literally multiply like rabbits. After a gestation period of four to five weeks, the mother rabbit gives birth to an average of five helpless, naked babies – five to seven times a year! The little ones are nestled: only after ten days do they open their eyes, leave the nest at three weeks, and are suckled up to the fourth week.
What are the Dangers of the Hare and Rabbit?
Fox and co. like to eat rabbits and hares. But predators are by no means the greatest threat to the bumblebee.
Diseases such as the viral disease myxomatosis and the so-called Chinese epidemic can affect entire packs of rabbits and have caused devastating populations in the past. The frightening thing: the myxomatosis virus was deliberately brought about by humans in the 1950s. It should contain rabbit populations. However, the virus spread across Europe and is still a major killer of wild rabbits today. The rabbit is largely immune to the virus.
But it is also difficult for him. The lack of fallow land and corridors makes it difficult to find and maintain a territory. Statistically, around 50 hares per 100 hectares of land were common at the beginning of the century, with strong fluctuations in the federal states. The hunters are also observing a decline in populations: the hare is pursued as a small game by means of driven and high-seat hunting. The number of kills has declined over the past thirty years and has fallen by more than half since the 1980s. Despite their endangered status, hares are still hunted. The closed season for hares lasts from January 15th to October 1st; during this time they raise their young.