The white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), also known as the prairie hare and the white jack, is a hare found in western North America. The max female mass is 527.4 mm, and the max male mass is 504.1 mm. The female is superior from the males for multiplicative reasons. White-tailed jackrabbits own a number of other dissimilar morphological characters which replicate adaptation to their environment and ecology. “Colossal” ears equipped with substantial blood flow are used for warmth dissipation in the warmer helpings of the range, while they also provide an exceptional means of predator revealing. The pelage of Lepus townsendii varies with season and habitat. The upper parts range from yellowish to grayish brown in color, with white or grey on the underside.

 

Like said, the White-Tailed jackrabbit is found in the western portions of North America and Canada with a height span of 40 to 4,300 m. They favor exposed plains but flourish in meadows and fields. That is why they are acknowledged as the prairie rabbit. These types of rabbits can also be found in woodland areas up to high alpine tundra. The unlike biomes they are found in are the desert or dune, savanna or grassland, forest, and mountains. The highest existence is 8 years and reproduces sexually. Three to five males may follow one female together with during mating season, leading to forceful charging among them. The courting performance of white-tailed jackrabbits contains of a series of forceful charges and jumps. Rotating between male and female lasts from 5-20 minutes and is followed by copulation.

 

Like most animals, white-tailed jackrabbits are nocturnal, meaning they are “night owls”. Nourishing mainly from sunset to sunrise. During the daytime they rest in low forms which are dug into the earth 10-20 cm in deepness and are characteristically under some form of plant cover. Nonetheless in the winter, forms are replaced by cave-like structures joined with many connecting tunnels. Lepus townsendii is a beloved prey item of beasts such as red fox, grey fox, coyote, bobcat, cougar, badger, snakes, owls, eagles, and many types of hawks. The over-all method of predator avoidance is to lie flawlessly still in the form, trusting on their mysterious coloration to evade detection, with big ears pointed slightly up for predator detection. What is an interesting fact is that these animals generally make no vocalizations, however will scream if caught or wounded. They are possible to rely lengthily on their severe hearing and intelligence of smell to observe their atmosphere, but also have decent vision and whiskers that assistance them in “steering” and finding food. Like most animals, they perhaps also rely extensively on chemical signals for cooperating reproductive form.

 

Author: Brianna L 

Published: 2/2013