Rabbits and hares – what’s the difference?

“Rabbit” is just another name for a hare, right? Not actually. There are very clear differences between rabbits and hares, the most crucial being that hares live exclusively above ground while rabbits take shelter in crevices and burrows beneath the ground. Because hares live above ground with no place to hide, they have to rely on speed to get away from predators. As a result, they have long, powerful hind legs whereas rabbits have shorter legs to help them quickly get into a burrow. Hares – like the scrub hare pictured – also have longer ears than rabbits and are much less social. Hares make no den or nest of any description and they give birth above ground to young that are fully furred with open eyes and ears. The babies are mobile within 28 hours and are given very little parental care. Rabbits, on the other hand, are born in a den that the mother lines with fur. The totally helpless babies are completely naked with closed eyes and plugged ears. Here’s an interesting fact about both rabbits and hares: They practice re-ingestion. When at rest, they’ll make soft droppings and eat them again. Vitamin B, which is produced in the gut, is transferred back into the stomach this way, and minerals like calcium and phosphates are recycled. The energy from their food is maximised. When both animals are active, hard little pellets are excreted – these are what you’ll normally find in the veld.