The most interesting facts about hares. What does a hare eat? Hare - description, characteristics, appearance. What does a hare look like?

Hares are perhaps the most common animals in our country. Despite the fact that they are a favorite trophy of many hunters, their numbers are practically unchanged, since due to their fertility, these animals reproduce very actively.

There are about 30 species in total; all types of hares differ somewhat in external features and habits.

Appearance

If you take general description hare (mammal, hare family), then it should be noted that all species have similar features:

• long ears;
• underdeveloped collarbones;
• long and strong hind legs;
• short fluffy tail.

Females are larger than males, the size of animals ranges from 25 to 74 cm, and weight reaches 10 kg.

Thanks to its long hind legs, this animal is able to run fast and jump. The running speed of a brown hare, for example, can reach 70 km/h.

Shedding

These animals molt twice a year, in autumn and spring. The beginning and timing of molting are related to external conditions. Molting begins when the length of daylight changes, and its duration is determined by air temperature.

Spring molting in most species begins in late winter - early spring and lasts on average 75-80 days. The animal begins to shed from the head to the lower extremities.

Autumn molting, on the contrary, begins from the back of the body and moves to the head. It usually begins in September, and molting ends by the end of November. Winter fur grows thicker and more lush, it protects the animal from the cold.

Varieties

There are four common species in Russia: the Manchurian hare, the sandstone hare, the white hare and the brown hare. Let's look at them in more detail.

Manchurian

This species has much in common with the wild rabbit, but it is still difficult to confuse them, since the Manchurian hare looks somewhat different.

This is a small animal no more than 55 cm long and weighing up to 2.5 kg. The length of the ears is about 8 cm. The fur is hard and thick, brownish-ochre in color. The belly and sides are lighter than the body; there are several dark stripes on the back.

The habitat of this species is the Far East, the Korean Peninsula and Northeast China. In cold weather, this species experiences seasonal migration over short distances, during which animals move to places where there is less snow.

In nature, the species is not very widespread and has no commercial significance.

Sandstone

This species is also called tolai or talai. Compared to the Russians, it is quite small. Length 40-55 cm, weight up to 2.5 kg. But the tail and ears are longer: the length of the tail reaches 11.5 cm, the ears - up to 12 cm. Narrow paws are not adapted to move on snow. In summer, this species has grayish-buff fur, white on the throat and belly, and always remains dark on the rest of the body. The molting period largely depends on the habitat and weather conditions.

Tolai chooses flat areas, deserts and semi-deserts for life, but sometimes climbs high into the mountains. IN Central Asia it can be found at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level. Often this hare lives in a hole abandoned by another animal; it rarely digs holes itself.

Tolai leads a sedentary life and migrates only in case of severe deterioration in weather conditions or when there is an acute lack of food.

This species reproduces less frequently than others - 1-2 times a year, but since it is not hunted often, a decrease in numbers is not observed.

Tolay is widespread in Central Asia. It is also found in Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Southern Siberia and some provinces of China. In Russia, the tolai lives in Altai, the Astrakhan region, Buryatia and the Chui steppe.

Belyak

Description of the hare: this is a fairly large representative of the hare family. How much does a hare weigh? The average weight of a white hare is 2-3 kg, and can reach up to 4.5 kg. Body length is from 45 to 70 cm, ears - 8-10 cm, tail - 5-10 cm. This species has wide paws. Thanks to its feet covered with thick hair, the hare moves easily even on loose snow in winter. The color depends on the time of year. In summer, the skin is gray - dark or with a reddish tint, with brown spots. The head is darker than the body, the belly is white. In winter, the white hare's skin becomes pure white. She sheds twice a year, in autumn and spring.

Where does the white hare live? In Russia, the white hare inhabits most of the territory from western Transbaikalia and the upper Don to the tundra. Also large populations of this species live in China, Japan, Mongolia, South America and in Northern Europe.

For life, they choose small forests located near water bodies, farmland and open spaces, places rich in herbaceous plants and berries. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, occupying an area of ​​3 to 30 hectares, migrating only in case of severe bad weather and lack of food supply. Long-distance and mass migrations of the hare are observed only in the tundra zone, where the snow cover in winter is so high that the hare’s food (low-growing plants) becomes inaccessible.

They breed 2-3 times a year, and there are up to 11 hares in a litter. Lifespan of a hare wildlife from 7 to 17 years.

Hare

The brown hare is larger than the hare. With a body length of 57-68 cm, it weighs from 4 to 7 kg. The length of the ears is 9-14 cm, the tail of the hare is 7-14 cm. The hare has longer and narrower paws than the hare.

This hare is gray in summer with an ocher, brownish or reddish tint. In winter, a gray hare living in middle lane, practically does not change its color, only becomes a little lighter. Animals inhabiting the northern regions become almost white, leaving only a dark stripe on the back.

Where does the brown hare live? In Russia, Russians inhabit the entire European part, the region Ural mountains, in Southern Siberia, Khabarovsk Territory and territories near Kazakhstan, in Transcaucasia in the Caucasus and Crimea.

Brown hare populations also inhabit Europe, the USA, Canada, Asia Minor and Asia Minor.

What does the hare eat? Since it is a herbivore, its diet consists of green parts of plants: clover, dandelion, mouse peas, yarrow, and cereals.

The brown hare is a steppe hare; it chooses open spaces to live; it rarely lives in forest areas and in the mountains. The animals lead a sedentary life, occupying an area of ​​30 to 50 hectares. Seasonal migrations occur only among Russians living in mountainous areas. The brown hare descends from the mountains in winter, and climbs back to higher ground in summer.

They reproduce depending on the habitat and weather conditions, from 1 to 5 times a year. There are 1 to 9 hares in a litter. How many years does a hare live? The average life expectancy of a hare is 6-7 years.

Habitats

Hares are distributed almost everywhere. Their populations are numerous and inhabit all continents. Antarctica is the only place on earth where these animals do not live.

Lifestyle and habits

This long-eared animal leads a twilight-nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, the animal rests on ditches. True, in places where there is a high number of obliques, the habits of the hare change and, often, it is active during the day.

Unlike rabbits, the scythe does not dig deep holes. A hare hole is a small depression in the ground, under bushes or tree roots. These animals choose their beds depending on the terrain and weather conditions. In warm, clear weather, they can roost almost anywhere if there is at least a small shelter nearby. In winter, finding places to lie down is not a problem at all, since hares sleep right in the snow.

The oblique runs very fast, while running it often makes long jumps and can suddenly change direction. This method of movement helps the animal escape from the predators pursuing it. Eared cunning creatures are excellent at confusing their tracks. At the slightest threat, the animal freezes motionless until it considers that nothing threatens it anymore.

Many people wonder if hares can swim. Although they do not like water and try to stay away from it, they swim well.

Nutrition

The diet of the oblique is very varied. What a hare eats depends on the season, weather conditions and habitat.

In summer

In summer, this herbivorous animal eats more than 500 species of plants, preferring their green parts. Also loves to eat melons, vegetables and fruits. Animals often get out into the fields and raid vegetable gardens and orchards. In autumn, their diet includes more and more solid food. Withered grass, roots and branches of bushes become their main food.

in winter

What do hares eat in winter, when there is no greenery?

The thicker the layer of snow, the harder it is for the long-eared animal to obtain food. High level snow can hide almost everything that hares eat in winter. Animals save themselves from hunger by moving closer to settlements. They are helped out in harsh winters by haystacks, frozen berries on bushes, and fallen fruits that the animals dig out from under the snow.

Tree bark makes up the majority of the diet during the cold season. Usually the scythe selects soft trees: aspen, birch, willow and others.

in spring

In spring, the diet becomes significantly more varied due to buds, young shoots and fresh grass. To compensate for the nutritional deficiency, the long-eared eats pebbles, soil and even animal bones.

Reproduction

The weather conditions directly determine when the hares begin mating. IN warm winters the rut can begin in January, and after frosty winters - in early March.

During the mating season, these animals communicate by tapping a certain rhythm on the ground with their front paws. Males compete for the attention of females, engaging in spectacular fights.

Young individuals are ready for reproduction at the age of one year. Most species produce offspring several to five times a year, with an average of 2-5 cubs per litter. Despite the fact that the rabbits are born developed and sighted, for the first days they practically do not move, hiding in a hole.

The female leaves the brood almost immediately after giving birth and only occasionally returns to feed the cubs. Since females have offspring at the same time, any hare that comes across hungry cubs will definitely feed them. This behavior is easy to explain. Baby hares have no smell, unlike adults, and the less often the female is near them, the less chance the cubs have of becoming prey to a predator.

Hunting

Hare hunting is popular in our country. This animal is an object of fur trade and sport hunting. Large quantities of these animals are hunted for their fur and tasty, nutritious meat.

Hunting begins in October before snowfall and lasts throughout the winter. There are many ways of hunting: by tracking, in blinds, in powder, with dogs and “in the wild”.

The scythe has many enemies in nature besides hunters. They're hunting him predator birds, wolves, bobcats, coyotes and foxes. High fertility helps these animals maintain their numbers.

Video

A hare is an animal that belongs to the class Mammals, order Lagomorpha, family Lagoraceae, genus Hares ( Lepus). Contrary to popular belief, they are not rodents and are far from harmless. In case of danger, they show aggressiveness and resist the attacker. Since ancient times, the hare has been a desired trophy for hunters because of its tasty meat and warm fur.

Hare - description, characteristics, appearance. What does a hare look like?

hare body slender, slightly compressed from the sides, its length in some species reaches 68-70 cm. The weight of a hare can exceed 7 kg. A characteristic feature of lagomorphs are wedge-shaped ears, reaching a length of 9 to 15 cm. Thanks to the ears, the hare’s hearing is much better developed than the sense of smell and vision. The hind limbs of these mammals have long feet and are more developed than the forelimbs. When a threat arises, the hare's speed can reach 80 km/h. And the ability to suddenly change the direction of running and suddenly jump to the side allows these animals to get rid of the pursuit of enemies: wolf, fox, owl, etc. Hares run well up slopes, but they have to go downhill head over heels.

Hare color depends on the season. In summer, the animal's fur has a reddish-gray, brown or brown tint. Due to the dark color of the undercoat, the color is uneven with large and small “speckles”. The fur on the belly is white. Hares change color in winter, their fur becomes lighter, but only the mountain hare becomes completely snow-white. The tips of the ears of all representatives of the genus remain black all year round.

How long does a hare live?

The average life expectancy of males does not exceed 5 years, females - 9 years, but there are recorded cases of more than long term The life of a hare is about 12-14 years.

Types of hares, names and photos

The genus of hares is diverse and includes 10 subgenera, divided into several species. Below are several types of hares:

• Hare— hare(Lepus timidus )

The most common representative of the genus of hares, living almost throughout Russia, Northern Europe, Ireland, Mongolia, South America and many other countries of the world. This species of hares is distinguished by characteristic seasonal dimorphism - in areas with stable snow cover, the fur color becomes pure white, with the exception of the tips of the ears. In summer the hare is gray.

• Brown hare(Lepus europaeus )

A large species of hares, some individuals of which grow up to 68 cm in length and weigh up to 7 kg. The hare's fur is shiny, silky, with characteristic wavy, different shades of brown, with white rings around the eyes. The hare's habitat covers European forest-steppes, Turkey, Iran, the north of the African continent and Kazakhstan.

• Antelope hare(Lepus alleni )

Representatives of the species are distinguished by very large and long ears, growing up to 20 cm. The auricles are designed in such a way that they allow the animal to regulate heat exchange when the temperature of the environment is too high. The antelope hare lives in the state of Arizona in the USA and 4 Mexican states.

• Chinese hare(Lepus sinensis )

The species is characterized by small body size (up to 45 cm) and weight up to 2 kg. The color of the short, coarse fur consists of many shades of brown: from chestnut to brick. A characteristic black triangular pattern stands out at the tips of the ears. This type of hare is found in the hilly areas of China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

• Tolai hare(Lepus tolai )

The medium-sized individuals resemble the hare in appearance, but are distinguished by longer ears and legs, as well as the absence of curled fur. This hare is a typical representative of deserts and semi-deserts, lives in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and in the Russian steppes - from Altai Territory to the south of the Astrakhan region.

• Yellowish hare(Lepus flavigularis )

The only population of yellowish hares inhabits the meadows and coastal dunes of the Mexican Gulf of Tehuantepec, hence its second name - the Tehuantepec hare. Large individuals, up to 60 cm long and weighing 3.5-4 kg, are difficult to confuse with other species of hares due to two black stripes running from the ears to the back of the head and along the white sides.

• Broom hare(Lepus castroviejoi )

The habitat of this species of hares is limited to the scrubby heaths of the northwestern Cantabrian Mountains of Spain. In appearance and habits there is a similarity with the brown hare. Due to extermination, predation and disruption of the natural ecosystem, the species is on the verge of extinction and is listed in the Red Book of Spain.

• Black-tailed(California) hare (Lepus californicus )

The species is characterized by long ears, powerful hind limbs, a dark stripe running along the back, and a black tail. It is considered the most common species of hares in Mexico and the United States.

• Manchurian hare(Lepus mandshuricus )

Small representatives of this species of hares grow up to 55 cm and weigh no more than 2.5 kg. The ears, tail and hind legs are quite short, due to which there is a clear resemblance to a wild rabbit. The fur is hard and short, brown in color with black ripples. A typical representative of deciduous forests and shrub plains can be found on Far East, in Primorye, as well as in Northeast China and Korea.

• Curly-haired hare (Tibetan curly-haired hare)(Lepus oiostolus )

The species is distinguished by its small size (40 - 58 cm) and weight of just over 2 kg. Characteristic feature yellowish wavy fur on the back is considered. It lives in India, Nepal and China, including the mountain steppes of the Tibetan Plateau, from where it received its second name - the Tibetan curly hare.

Where does the hare live?

Hares live in open steppe and forest-steppe landscapes. Numerous populations are found in desert-steppe areas, on open forest edges, fields and meadows, and in places of massive deforestation. They try not to go deep into the forest, preferring areas with developed agriculture. They feel at ease in ravines and ravines overgrown with bushes. These animals are well adapted to life in harsh climatic conditions, therefore they are found even in the vast Arctic and Alaska. IN Lately populations have been noted in Australia and New Zealand. They are not found only in Antarctica. Hares do not have permanent roosting places, although they can use abandoned fox or badger holes. They are active in the evening and at night.

The diet of hares in spring and summer includes young branches and shoots of bushes and trees, leaves of various plants, clover, dandelion and other herbs. They will not give up vegetables and melons.

In winter, hares have to dig out the remains of agricultural crops from under the snow, feed on the bark of bushes and trees, including fruit trees, causing them harm. In the northern regions, there have been cases of hares eating partridges caught in hunting snares. Therefore, hares cannot be called pure vegetarians.

Reproduction of hares

Under natural conditions, hares live both alone and in pairs. During the year, these animals rut ​​three times. The gestation period for a hare lasts up to 50 days. One litter can have from 1 to 9 hares. The offspring are born sighted and capable of independent movement. In the first 5-7 days, rabbits need milk, but by 2-3 weeks of life they switch to grass food and become independent. Sexual maturity occurs by next spring.

• It may seem strange, but hares are not always vegetarians. Hunters won’t let you lie: it’s enough to “forget” a partridge in a snare, just like a hare will happily feast on the bird’s meat, tearing apart the prey with strong paws with powerful claws.
• The hare is by no means cowardly and is not always good-natured. A case was recorded when a “squint”, raised by a shepherd named Jerome, quickly adopted some of the dog’s habits and bravely rushed at the dogs, trying to bite them.
• There is no reason to really call a hare “slanty” - there is nothing wrong with the animal’s eyes! And its meandering when running, which hunters associated specifically with vision problems, is due to the slightly asymmetrical development of the right and left hare paws.

Hares are one of those animals for which nature destined to play the role of a victim. Despite this, they successfully survive in almost any conditions, since they inhabit all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. How do they do this?! A selection will help lift the veil amazing facts about hares.

Physiological features

The hare family is very numerous. It has 11 genera and includes 54 species. There are 11 species of lagomorphs found in Russia. The most common of them is the white hare.

The first thing that catches your eye in the appearance of these unusual animals is their expressive eyes and incredibly long ears. They need large eyes set high on the sides of the skull to expand their visual field, which can reach 360°.

It is noteworthy that hares do not close their eyes even when resting. The most that the animal can afford is a shallow nap, during which it closes its eyelids.

But this happens only at moments when the eared one feels completely safe. Deep sleep is extremely rare for a hare. This state can last only 1-2 minutes. You can tell that your little cat is sleeping by its relaxed position, lying on its side and fully closed eyelids. But as soon as the animal hears the sounds of danger, it instantly wakes up and freezes, merging with the ground.

It is also surprising that hares, unlike their fellow rabbits, are initially born sighted. Within a few minutes from the moment of birth, the nimble animals are ready to “rip their claws.” The rabbits remain with their mother during the first 4 weeks of life while they are breastfed. At one month of age, they are already completely ready for independent life.

Ears are a special pride of these animals. They are so large that when bent they can reach the tip of the nose. This feature is used by Siberian hunters in order to distinguish the brown hare from the white hare. If the animal’s ears do not reach its muzzle, this is a white hare. As scientists explain, the ears of the white hare are much smaller for the reason that these animals do not need to cool quickly. Due to the special structure of the inner surface of the ears, dotted with veins, white hare easily regulates body temperature. It is also noteworthy that the large ears of animals are very sensitive to moisture. Therefore, in rainy weather, hares press their ears to their heads to prevent droplets from getting in.

The common concept of “cleft lip” arose due to the special structure of the animal’s nostrils, which, due to their close proximity to the lips, simply merge with them.

Since hares often become prey for animals, in order to camouflage themselves a little from them, long-eared hares can change the color of their fur throughout the year.

So the white hare's fur winter period acquires a white light merging with the snow. In the spring months, depending on the temperature, it changes from brownish-red to blackish-brown.

It is interesting that in winter, the feet of the animals are covered with thick, coarse hair. It not only protects them from the cold, but also helps to create a support similar to skis in order to move more confidently on ice and snow.

Amazing abilities of hares

Many have probably heard how these nimble animals briskly beat off shots on logs or stumps. But not all children and adults know the interesting fact that this is how hares communicate with each other. Furiously pounding the ground with their hind paws, they warn their fellow tribesmen that the enemy is approaching. At the same time, the drummer himself, who makes sounds and thereby attracts attention to himself, often becomes a victim of this predator, but gives his relatives the opportunity to hide in the wilderness. The hum produced when the paws hit the ground can be compared to the sounds of a tom-tom, which was used by ancient tribes of people to transmit signals. Research shows that such a sound is heard much better than the screams of relatives.

In addition to stomping, they use various types of pats and release special odors into the air that correspond to different situations.

As for the sounds made by the speech apparatus, long-eared animals can grumble while chewing food, and also scream shrilly in case of danger. Hunters who are “lucky enough” to hear the heartbreaking cries emitted by hares note that they are somewhat reminiscent of the crying of a baby or the inviting cries of a cat.

The common fact that hares are herbivores is wrong. Yes, they love to eat juicy grass. But with the same success they are ready to taste meat, for example, insects and small rodents. Northern hunters setting snares for partridges repeatedly noticed that if the trap is not checked in time, ahead of the long-eared one, the prey will be eaten.

For the same reason, scientists who have been studying these animals for a long time initially classified them as a species of rodents, and having identified the taste preferences of long-eared animals, they were classified as a separate series of lagomorphs.

People who keep rabbits note that these animals love to eat their droppings. Their wild relatives, hares, also suffer from the same “weakness.” The fact is that soft green droppings contain enzymes that help speed up the digestion process. Watching these animals, you notice that they are constantly gnawing on something. This is more likely not a feeling of hunger, but a physiological need. Hare teeth grow throughout life, and therefore they have to be ground down regularly.

Amazing animals are often called “oblique”. They received this nickname not because of vision problems, but because of their ability to circle while escaping. While running away, they manage to make a turn, returning to the same place from where they started. This ability is explained by the structure of the hind legs. They are more developed than the front ones, but at the same time they differ in length. In nature, there are both right-handed and left-handed hares. The looping run created due to the uneven length of the paws makes long-eared animals elusive prey for predators.

If we talk about their ability to move quickly, then hares are real sprinters among small animals:

• the height and length of the jumps of these animals reaches 3.5 m;
• The speed during the chase is up to 80 km/h.

These animals easily overcome rocky terrain and swim well. Eared animals have very strong hind legs. During the mating season, they use them to fight rivals and

Many children will probably be interested to know the fact that hares, like lizards, are able to give up their tail in the name of salvation. This often happens when a predator catching up with an animal manages to scratch the victim by the tail. At this moment, the fur is removed along with the skin, thereby diverting the attention of the predator and giving the victim the opportunity to win a couple of seconds necessary for salvation.

Hares can live in families or settle as individuals. The way of life can be either sedentary or “tumbleweed” type.

With a sedentary way of life in the adjacent territory, sometimes reaching 6-10 hectares, these animals form a complex intertwined system of routes. It combines feeding and surveillance areas. The animals carefully monitor the maintenance of order on the paved paths, from time to time cleaning them from leaves and branches. This procedure is necessary to make it easier for the animal to escape in case of danger.

Nomination record holders

Of no less interest may be the fact that among these inconspicuous at first glance, but so amazing animals, there are record holders. The average weight of hares ranges from 1.2-1.6 kg. This parameter depends on the type of animal and the abundance of food.

The largest representative of the family, who lived on the island of Minorca about 12 million years ago, is recognized. This is confirmed by the fossil remains found by archaeologists, judging by which the animal weighed about 15 kg.

The record holder for ear length is rightfully considered to be a representative of the hare family - a rabbit called the Brussels ram. The animal's ears, located on the sides of the head, are collected into balls. When extended, they reach a length of 3 meters.

If we mention the rarest representatives of the family, then we should include tree hares among them. These animals do not rush through the fields, but jump through the trees. They are found in two geographical locations in the world: on the islands of Japan called Toku-no-Oshima and Anami-Oshima. Since fifty years ago, there were only 500 of them. It is not known exactly what their number is today.

Water hares will soon be considered among the rarest representatives. Their numbers are declining at a rapid rate due to the disruption of the ecological balance of the southern United States. Representatives of this breed got their name due to the fact that in case of persecution they escape by hiding in bodies of water. They know how to dive into the water, pointing above water surface just a tiny nose. They can remain in this position for tens of minutes. When the danger has passed, the animals begin to quickly row to the other side.

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 the summer heat, hares' ears help them escape 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.