For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Rabbit or hare?

So which is it? Here are some facts to help you:

Although rabbits and hares belong to the same family and look so much alike that they are mistaken for each other, there is a difference between them.

The easiest time to notice this difference is at birth. Rabbits are born blind, without fur, and cannot move about. Their eyes open in about a week, and when they are two weeks old, they are able to leave their nest.

Newborn hares, however, are born with their eyes open. They have a full coat of fine, soft fur, and can hop about within a few hours after their birth.

As both animals grow, hares become larger than rabbits, and have longer hind legs and bigger ears.

Rabbits, when frightened by enemies, can leap 10 feet or more and run as fast as 18 miles an hour!

Rabbits burrow their homes into the ground while hares make theirs on top of it.
This rabbit has a varied diet. It follows me home so I can give it bread plus it eats all the fallen fruit and leaves in the graden. :)

42 comments:

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

Now this is a hare raising story

troutbirder said...

Are they both bunnies?
btw from my vast fount of useless trivia.... crane fly imitations make wonderful troutflies. :)

Dale Forbes said...

and you forgot to mention that
"blame it on the hare" doesn't sound half as cool as
"blame it on the bunny"

Life in Egypt said...

This rabbit has a varied diet of veg
and is a vegan
this hare would not follow you home.
they are scardy wabbits.

Mary said...

They are all "bunnies" to me :-) Interesting information on the differences. Love the photos! So cute and soft looking.

No Blog said...

This is a rabit. I but if it is a hare I love long hair LOL!

Craver Vii said...

Plus, hares like to get drunk, and sing loudly when there isn't even any music playing. They love gambling and watching futbol. They rarely, if ever, write back home to their mums. But they can tell a good story though, and they're always quick with a joke or two.

Unknown said...

So cute! Love the second shot.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Joan: I must say your info was pretty neat but Carver had so many qualities you missed. I guess you have to be in the USA to learn a lot of those qualities. We have rabbits and the South West has hares. Either way this whole confusion is neither hare or there.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Sorry; Craver, missed the r.

Tony nile life said...

funny how wabits draw the crowds,
The Egyptians think wabits make good fish food. I think so by the way they are always dumping them in the canal.

Jose's World said...

Rabbit; there are no black hares.

Becky said...

What a cute little bunny! I love bunnies, had a big black and white bunny when I was much younger, named Geronimo.

Anonymous said...

Cute little guy...we have small brush rabbits around the property here and in the mountains we have snowshoe hare. In california, when I visit my parents, one often see's hare's jetting across the open landscapes. Hares are truly fast because they live more in the open to escape predators whereas rabbits or cotton-tails tend to rely on dense brush for escape.

Great job Joan at distinguishing the two.

S said...

Hi Joan! This is such an interesting post...I've always thought that a hare is just a wild rabbit. I like the last photo of the rabbit :)

Sorry, matric has been SO busy. I don't have much time for blogging these days. I hope you enjoy your weekend :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! A good one Jonker!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks for the trivia TB. My husband used to make his own flies as well and it was interesting to watch the process. We have fantastic trout streams here too and trout farms. It has to be the most popular fish available.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

You are right Dale. :) Poor bunnies. :) It is as the saying goes: "I am the most responsible person around here ..... if anything goes wrong, I'm resposible." LOL!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! Thanks Tony. This one certainly knows where to come to to suppliment his diet. It is amazing how fast they learn where to find a hand-out. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Mary. As a child I always had some as pets and they are very soft and cuddly.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Lawrence.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Those are awful hares you have there Craver, but they sound like fun. :) Now I know where jokes and good good stories come from and probably those hare raising tails too. LOL!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Jose (JM) I liked the contrast of the colours in the pic.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! From the sounds of things Tom, I am pleased we have rabbits and not hares or else I would never get any sleep. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Wabbits make good fish food?? My goodness Tony do you have piranhas there? :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

You are so clever Jose. That should have been the first clue and everyone missed it. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hello Becky. They are certainly good pets. With all those I had I never got around to giving them names somehow. :

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Bernie. I guess these are question we are always asking ourselves but never get to looking up the answer. Hares are really fast but I have seen them caught by leopards so what does that tell me? Forget about the hares and watch out for the leopard. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Sreddy. Yes this is going to be a tough year for you but I know you will breeze through it. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

You didn't forget the r Tom, just switched it around. :)

Tony nile life said...

none of your photos are showing on the latest blog. would like to see the zebra,last time |saw them was in Kenya 96. i mean running free.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Sorry Tony. That is actually an old post which I have recovered and I am busy putting the hotographs back. Give me an hour and I will do this one first.....

Becky said...

I've loved rabbits all my life, but didn't know about the newborns! Thanks for the interesting info! Take good care of that little bunny! He's a doll.
B.

Anonymous said...

You did a good job on that Joan. I myself, like I really should "lol," did not know that much about the difference between the two until now. Quite and interesting post. =)

Rambling Woods said...

We have only the eastern cottontail rabbit here..but it was interesting to learn the different. I have a friend who rehabs rabbits and they are so easily scared to death being at the low end of the food chain...

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

You are welcome Becky. I love all the animals I find but some of them like rabbits and chameleons are special to me.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Ken. We live and learn something new every day. I was wanting to look for some of those egg masses you posted about but as I mentioned, the grass was too full of tick to walk in it. Maybe the next time I go there it will not be after the rain and during a tick infestation.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

This one was terrified in the begining too Michelle but he soon learnt to come and take the bread out of my hand and now follows me and sits up begging on the steps so I can see him and bring it to him. LOL!!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely little friend Joan! How fun to have him follow you home. I have always been amazed by hares, because they are born ready to go, and they are so fast!

Growing up my mom raised rabbits for showing and to sell as pets. Bunnies have played a big role in my life.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

How wonderful that your childhood was surrounded by them Stacey. Nature gives us so much pleasure.

Wendy said...

What a sweet little rabbit! We had one that came to our apartment complex in the fall of 2008, but once it started snowing that winter we never saw it again :( He was so cute.
Thanks for the info once again, I didn't know any of this!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

What a pity he disappeard like that Leeloo. They are such lovely little creatures.