- this animal is akin to a hare, but their fur color is more diverse. According to the owners, the animals are very smart, quite clean, and it is pleasant to keep them at home.

How long do rabbits live

Those who are just about to take home often ask the question: what is their life expectancy? The average is 7-8 years. Infrequently, but still there are long-lived rabbits. So they can call an animal that has lived for 10 or more years.

Many people think that the life expectancy of such rodents depends on the breed, but this opinion is not correct. How many years a rabbit will live will be influenced by completely different factors, and very little depends on the breed.

How can you extend the life of a rabbit?

Heredity greatly affects how long a rabbit will live. If the parents of the rodent were healthy, he has a good chance of becoming a long-liver, since he is free from diseases that are inherited.

Care, feeding, maintenance also affect the health, and hence the life expectancy of the animal. With the wrong attitude to feeding a rabbit, you can inadvertently spoil the gastrointestinal tract. Dwarf and decorative rabbits are much more tender than simple ones.

Any diseases, injuries during life can significantly shorten the rabbit age. Therefore, one should not take risks - it is necessary to secure the rabbit's movement around the cage so that he cannot injure himself with an awkward jump. The rabbit must be protected from colds.

The pet's lifestyle must be maintained in such a way that the animals can run and walk to their heart's content. The animal is quite mobile, active, it needs to move. If the rabbit is kept in a cage, it should be let out once or twice a day for at least an hour. Some of the owners have the opportunity to equip the animal with a spacious enclosure - so much the better for him.

Those animals that spend a lot of time in cramped cages and move little, almost do not run, will have problems with the gastrointestinal tract much more often, and obesity may begin. All this is very bad for the liver and heart of the rabbit, which will start to hurt.

The absence of stress, manifestations of love for an animal like stroking, scratching also help a lot to prolong its life. With good care, attentive attitude to the animal, he is able to live a long enough period for a rabbit.

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, because due to their fecundity, these animals breed 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, family hare), then it should be noted that all species have similar features:

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

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

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

Moult

These animals shed twice a year, in autumn and spring. The beginning and term of molting are associated with external conditions. Molting begins with changes in the length of daylight hours, and its duration is determined by air temperature.

Spring molt in most species begins in late winter - early spring and lasts an average of 75-80 days. The animal begins to molt from the head to the lower limbs.

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

Varieties

Four species are widespread in Russia: Manchurian, sandstone hare, white hare and hare. Let's consider 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 small animal is no more than 55 cm long and weighs up to 2.5 kg. The length of the ears is about 8 cm. The fur is hard and thick, brownish-ocher 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 Far East, Korean Peninsula and Northeast China. In cold weather, this species has 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 value.

Sandstone

This species is also called tolai or talai. Compared to Russians, it is rather 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 movement in the snow. In summer, this species has grayish-buff fur, white on the throat and belly, and always remains dark on other parts 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; he rarely digs holes himself.

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

This species breeds less often than others - 1-2 times a year, but since it is hunted infrequently, no decrease in numbers is observed.

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

Belyak

Description of the white hare: this is a rather large representative of the hare family. How much does a hare weigh? The average weight of a hare is 2-3 kg, it 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 the feet covered with thick wool, the hare moves with ease even on loose snow in winter. The color depends on the season. 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 hare's skin becomes clean white color. 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, berries. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, occupying an area from 3 to 30 hectares, migrate only in case of severe weather and lack of food supply. Long-distance and massive migrations of hare are observed only in the tundra zone, where the snow cover in winter is so high that hare food (low-growing plants) becomes inaccessible.

They breed 2-3 times a year, there are up to 11 hares in a litter. The lifespan of a rabbit wild nature from 7 to 17 years old.

Hare

The brown hare is larger than the white 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 the middle lane practically does not change its color, it only becomes a little lighter. Animals inhabiting the northern regions become almost white in color, only a dark stripe remains on the back.

Where does the hare live? In Russia, Russians inhabit the entire European part, the region of the Ural Mountains, in southern Siberia, the Khabarovsk Territory and the territory near Kazakhstan, in the Transcaucasus in the Caucasus and in the Crimea.

Also, hare populations inhabit Europe, the USA, Canada, Western Asia and Asia Minor.

What does a hare eat? Since it belongs to herbivores, the diet consists of green parts of plants: clover, dandelion, mouse peas, yarrow, cereals.

Rusak is a steppe hare, for life he chooses open spaces, rarely lives in the forest area and in the mountains. The animals lead a sedentary life, occupying an area of ​​30 to 50 hectares. Seasonal migrations occur only among Rusaks living in mountainous areas. The hare descends from the mountains in winter, and again climbs up the hill in summer.

They breed depending on the habitat and weather conditions, from 1 to 5 times a year. In a brood from 1 to 9 rabbits. 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 eared animal leads a twilight-night lifestyle. During the day, the animal rests for days. True, in places where there is a high number of oblique, 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 beds depending on the terrain and weather conditions. In warm, clear weather, they can lay down 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 on the snow.

Oblique runs very fast, often making long jumps while running and can change direction abruptly. This method of movement helps the animal escape from predators pursuing it. Eared tricksters are great at confusing their tracks. At the slightest threat, the animal freezes motionlessly until it considers that nothing else threatens it.

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

Nutrition

The diet of the oblique is very diverse. 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. He also likes to eat gourds, 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 shrubs become their main food.

in winter

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

The greater the layer of snow, the harder it is for the eared to get food. High snow levels can hide almost everything that hares eat in winter. Animals escape from hunger by moving closer to settlements. They are rescued in harsh winters by haystacks, frozen berries on bushes and fruits of padans, which the animals dig out from under the snow.

Tree bark makes up the bulk of the diet during the cold season. Usually oblique selects softwood trees: aspen, birch, willow and others.

spring

In spring, the diet becomes significantly more diverse due to buds, young shoots and fresh grass. To make up for the deficit nutrients, eared eats pebbles, earth and even animal bones.

reproduction

It directly depends on the weather conditions when the mating of hares begins. IN warm winters rut can start in January, and after frosty winters- in the beginning of March.

These animals communicate during the mating season, tapping out a certain rhythm with their front paws on the ground. Males compete for the attention of females, converging in spectacular fights.

Young individuals are ready for reproduction already in a year. The offspring of most species produces several up to five times a year, on average 2-5 cubs in one litter. Despite the fact that hares 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 the females have offspring at the same time, any hare, having stumbled upon hungry cubs, will surely feed them. This behavior is easy to explain. Rabbits do not have a smell, unlike adults, and the less often the female is next to them, the less likely the cubs are to become prey to a predator.

Hunting

Hunting for hares is popular in our country. This animal is an object of fur trade and sport hunting. In large numbers, these animals are hunted for their fur and tasty, nutritious meat.

Hunting starts in October before snow falls and lasts all winter. There are many ways of hunting: by trailing, on ambush, by powder, with dogs and "in the uzerku".

The oblique in nature has many enemies other than hunters. It is hunted by birds of prey, wolves, lynxes, coyotes and foxes. High fecundity helps to maintain the number of these animals.

Video

Lagomorphs - representatives of the detachment placental mammals. Animals have a placenta, so that the cubs are born quite developed, strong. The females feed their offspring with milk.

A characteristic distinguishing feature is the ears - long, tubular, not proportionate to the body. The use of ears is that they help animals survive in dangerous conditions of the wild.

The structure of the digestive tract

The animal feeds on plants, roots, bark of trees. They eat heavy food, so nature has provided the animal with a large caecum, constantly growing teeth. There are no fangs, there is an empty space between the incisors and molars, called the diastema. The right and left rows of molars are connected by a thin bridge, forming a hard bony palate. The upper jaw of animals has 2 pairs of incisors: large in front, small with small incisors behind. The teeth are constantly growing to grind down the incisors, the animal is forced to gnaw.

The stomach consists of 2 departments responsible for certain functions:

• fundic - food fermentation;
• pyloric - the breakdown of food.

Where do hares live

Hares live everywhere: in the tundra, taiga, steppe. They are loners by nature. They lead a nocturnal lifestyle. In search of food, animals go out in the dark so that twilight hides them from natural enemies. Having refreshed themselves, the animals return home before sunrise. So that no one guesses about the lair, the beast climbs into it backwards, having previously confused the tracks.

The lair is chosen carefully, scrupulously. It should be warm, protected from the wind. Animals do not like dampness, noise. Animals do not dig holes, they choose a ready place: bush, arable land, tall grass. Due to the coloring, the animal is impossible to see.

They are homebodies, do not change their habitat. If people or animals force him to break away from his familiar place, the beast does not go far. The maximum distance from the place of residence is 2-3 km, when the danger passes, the animal will return home.

When cold weather sets in, hares living in the uplands descend to the lowlands to wait out the winter.

It should be noted the cleanliness of animals. They often sit down and clean up: comb, lick the hair.

What does a rabbit eat

Hares are herbivores. The diet of animals is diverse, depending on the time of year and the region in which the animal lives. In spring, the animal feeds on young shoots.

What does a rabbit eat in winter

Winter time is a difficult period for wild animals. In frosts, animals dig up the snow, looking for dry grass. They can be found on winter fields, where they eat up spikelets and root crops left after harvesting. Animals gnaw the bark of trees, bushes in the forest. This causes a lot of trouble for gardeners, because hares spoil valuable varieties of fruit trees.

In summer

The summer diet is wide. Animals feed on plants, actively gaining weight. They prefer the upper part of the grass: leaves, flowers. They eat dandelions, pickans, tansy, strawberries, blueberries.

While eating, animals jump up and down to assess their surroundings. If the animal noticed or felt the danger, it begins to loudly knock its paws on the ground. Knocking is a warning of danger.

Reproduction and lifespan

Tapping with paws is used by females during the mating period - they lure males that live nearby. In a fight, males must identify a worthy contender for the paw and heart of a long-eared beauty. The courtship period is long: it starts in January and ends in August-September.

The female bears offspring for about 2 months, approximately 43 days. In one litter, a hare brings 1-9 cubs. In winter, 1-4 hare are born, in summer the number increases. Rabbits are born completely covered with hair, with open eyes. Newborn babies are licked by the female, slightly shaken to stimulate blood circulation. Then, the mother hides them in a recess, leaves to look for food. For three weeks, the hare feeds the cubs with milk, then they switch to self-feeding with grass. If a nursing female meets strangers, she will definitely feed them. Even if the mother died, orphaned babies will receive the necessary milk, they will not die of hunger.

Since thousands of rabbits do not live to adulthood and die from the claws and teeth of predators, the animals have a natural fertility. Animals are characterized by a rare feature - superfitting - a female can be pregnant with offspring at different stages of development. Females reach sexual development by 6 months. During the mating season, the female makes sounds resembling human muttering.

Outwardly, it is impossible to distinguish a hare from a hare. When examining the genital organs, you can see that the females have visible abdominal and pectoral nipples.

In the wild, hares live 7-8 years

Varieties

In total, 32 breeds of hares are known, but scientists insist on including hares and rabbits in the breed, of which there are about 45 species.

white hare

This is a fairly large animal, weighing approximately 1.5-5 kg. The ears of the animal can reach 10 cm in length. The short small tail is always snow-white, the dimensions vary between 5-10 cm. The hare's paws are wide and thick, which helps it to jump in deep, loose snow.

The color of the hare in summer depends on the range: from gray with red stripes to dark gray. The belly of the animal is white. Bunnies are larger and heavier, but they do not differ in color. In winter, the hare puts on a snow-white fur coat, for which he got his name.

The hare can be found even in Argentina. In Russia, he lives everywhere, is an object of hunting, since hare meat is famous for its tenderness.

hare

The animal weighs about 6-7 kg, the color is dark gray with speckles, the eyes are dark brown. The ears of the hare are long, they can reach 14 cm. The tail is elongated, its length is about 8-14 cm. Since this species lives in places with little snow, its paws are narrow and dense. The animal prefers the steppe.

The hare was introduced to Australia, where it became a national disaster. Uncontrolled reproduction led to the death of the local fauna, the loss of a huge amount of crops. The doctrine is conducting research aimed at eliminating the beast from the territory of Australia.

tolai hare

A desert animal accustomed to living in a warm habitat. The size of the animal is small. Weight - 1.5-3 kg. Legs are long and narrow. Is different long ears, tail. The fur is gray with a yellowish or brown haze. Dark, light colors alternate, the hare looks motley. The tail of the animal is dark, but there is distinguishing feature- at the end of a tassel of white coarse hair.

Manchurian hare

Miniature fragile animal, weighing up to 3 kilograms. It has short ears and a tail. The coat is variegated, a strip of black hair is visible in the center of the back. Sometimes there are melanists - hares with a black coat color.

Antelope hare

Not found in Russia. Habitat: Mexico, Arizona, USA. The ears of the beast reach 20.5 cm and serve not only for hearing. Given the hot climate, the ears are a kind of heat exchanger, helping to lower body temperature.

Chinese hare

A miniature animal weighing up to 2 kg, lives mainly in China, Vietnam. Likes hills, meadows with low grass.

curly hare

Inhabits Tibet, China. The animal is small in size, weighing about 2 kg. Color palette from black to dirty yellow.

The variety of hares is amazing, but their habits are almost identical. Animals serve as an object of hunting because of the tender meat, thick fur. Often the captured animal dies of fear, having received a heart rupture.

How many years do hares live? and got the best answer

Answer from Sottabych...[guru]
The life expectancy of hares is 6-7 years (in exceptional cases they lived up to 10-12 years), however, most of the animals live no more than 4-5 years. **** Whites live in nature up to 7-17 years, although the vast majority do not survive and up to 5 years. Females are most fertile at the age of 2-7 years, but already from the 4th year of life, fertility begins to decline. HERE YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM (follow the links)
Bushman hare (Bunolagus monticularis)
hare (Lepus americanus)
white-tailed hare (Lepus townsendii)
Japanese tree hare (Pentolagus furnessi)
Tibetan curly hare (Lepus osiostolus)
Manchurian hare (Caprolagus brachyurus)
striped hare (Nesolagus netscheri)
black-tailed hare (Lepus californicus)
white hare (Lepus timidus)
brown hare (Lepus europaeus)
tolai hare (Lepus tolai)
Tailless rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)
marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris)
Brazilian rabbit (Sylvilagus brasiliensis)
European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
curly-tailed rabbit (Pronolagus crassicaudatus)
Florida rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)
pygmy rabbit (Microlagus idachaensis)

Answer from Olga Murzina[newbie]
The average life expectancy of this animal is 6-8 years. In rare cases, a long-lived hare could survive for 10 years. However, most die at the age of 5-7 years.

Answer from Valentina Tagaeva[active]
While running fast.

Answer from Ave I'm on the right[guru]
Up to 10 years.

Answer from Maikl trewis[guru]
See you hunter.

Answer from Vyacheslav Melnikov[newbie]
Hares live depending on their habitat (Southern Europe or North Africa), on the attitude of the population to living and their further reproduction of the genus !!

Answer from 3 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: How many years do hares live?