What does a hare's hole look like in winter. Hare - species where it lives, description, color, what it eats, reproduction

What can be said about animals such as hares? What is included in the daily diet of these animals? Where do hares live? How do they reproduce? What are the types of rabbits? The answers to these and other questions can be found by reading our publication.

General information

The hare is an animal of not too large size, which has a slender body, somewhat flattened laterally. Some species reach sizes of the order of 65-70 cm. As for mass, hares are able to gain weight over 7 kg. hallmark The "appearance" of such animals is the presence of long ears of a characteristic wedge-shaped shape. Thanks to this developed sense organ, hearing in such animals is much better compared to sight and smell.

Hares have long hind limbs with massive feet. This structure of the paws makes it possible for the animals to accelerate almost instantly to a speed of about 80 km / h when the first danger arises. At the same time, hares confuse predators by sharply changing the direction of movement. Animals deftly run on flat surfaces and climb steep slopes without problems. However, they do not feel too confident when descending the hills. The reason for this is short, underdeveloped forelimbs. In such cases, hares often have to roll head over heels from hills.

Lifestyle

The main daily activity of hares is the search for food. Animals prefer to search for food at night, when the likelihood of getting into the eyes of predators is reduced. With the onset of dawn, the hares go to secluded places where they rest and gain strength. As temporary dwellings, they choose dense shrubs, deep furrows in the soil. In winter, the animals hide in puffs of snow and dig out shelters.

Nutrition

Each of us knows from the cradle that the hare is a herbivore. The favorite delicacies of such animals are garden crops, in particular cabbage and carrots. However, what do hares eat in nature, living at a considerable distance from farmland? We will try to answer this question further.

The diet of animals varies depending on the season. What does a hare eat in nature? IN summer period the main "prey" of such animals are the shoots of young vegetation. Animals give preference to juicy, sweet roots. Especially hares like dandelions, yarrow, clover, sedge, alfalfa. In the fertile period of the year, they are not averse to eating blueberry shoots and berries, the fruits of wild apples and pears.

With the advent of autumn, hares have to switch to absorbing the bark of trees, small, succulent twigs. In winter, hares often dig up all kinds of herbaceous plants and roots from under the snow.

Types of hares

There are several varieties of hares, which differ somewhat from each other according to body structure, color and lifestyle:

1. Rusak - the largest animals. They are distinguished by the presence of a glossy, silky fur coat. The fur has a characteristic waviness. The shade of the coat varies from dark gray to brownish.
2. The Arctic hare is a hare that is characterized by the so-called seasonal dimorphism. When the ground cover is generously covered with snow, representatives of the species acquire a white shade of wool. In summer, the arctic hare again changes the color of the fur to grayish.
3. Antelope - has the longest ears, the size of which in adults reaches more than 20 cm. Since the representatives of the species live in arid, hot regions, such a device of the auricles helps them regulate body temperature.
4. Chinese - a feature of the species is the presence of a small body. Such hares grow up to a maximum of 45 cm. At the same time, the weight is no more than 2 kg. The color of the fur of the Chinese hare varies from dark brown to light chestnut. The tips of the ears are decorated with a black triangular pattern.
5. Tolai are small animals that have practically no external differences from the hare. However, representatives of the species have more long ears, as well as extremely developed hind limbs.
6. The yellowish hare is a rather large individual that reaches a size of 60 cm and a weight of about 4 kg. It is quite difficult to confuse the species with other animals. Since they have contrasting black stripes along the body of the body, as well as from the back of the head to the ears.
7. Rakitnikovy - in lifestyle and habits there is a resemblance to a hare. The animals are distinguished by the presence of a reddish fur coat, as well as not too long ears, the edges of which are decorated with blackish borders.
8. Black-tailed - representatives of the species can be recognized by the characteristic dark stripe that adorns the fur along the entire spine. As you might guess from the definition itself, these hares have a black tail.
9. Manchurian - outwardly, such animals are extremely similar to wild rabbits, since they have small sizes and short hind limbs. The fur is decorated with rare dark ripples.
10. Curly - a feature of the species is the presence of wavy fur in the spine. The coat has a yellowish tinge. Such hares grow up to 50 cm and have a weight of no more than 2 kg.

Where do hares live?

Let's look at the habitats of each species of hares in order. If we talk about hares, such animals have inhabited European forest-steppes for centuries. They are distributed in the territory of domestic latitudes. Often found in Kazakhstan, Turkey, in northern Africa.

Where do white hares live? The species is widespread in the northern regions of Russia. Large populations are observed in the wastelands of Mongolia. There are hare in the highlands of South America.

In what latitudes does the curly hare live? The habitats of representatives of the species are primarily the forest expanses of India, the forest-steppes of Nepal and China. Such animals are common in the Tibetan highlands.

Tolay is a typical representative of semi-desert expanses. It is found in Turkmenistan, China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia. You can also see such hares in the domestic steppes, starting from the young regions of the Astrakhan region and ending with the expanses of the Altai Territory.

Yellowish hares are the only species found exclusively in the vicinity of Tehuantepec Bay, which belongs to the territory of Mexico.

Where do broom hares live? The habitat of such animals is limited to the wastelands in the northwestern part of Spain, where the Cantabrian mountain peaks are located.

Black-tailed hares are the most common species in the United States. These animals are also often found in Mexico.

The Manchurian hare is a typical representative of the fauna of the plains and woodlands of the Far East. Large populations of such animals are noted in Korea, China, and Primorye.

reproduction

Most hares are solitary creatures. However, some species form pairs. The animals mate three times during the year. Pregnancy in females lasts one and a half months. From one to nine babies can be born at a time.

The offspring of hares from the first days is sighted and capable of movement. Young individuals need mother's milk only in the first week. Then the hares completely switch to vegetable food. The young growth becomes sexually mature by the next spring.

natural enemies

Hares are rather defenseless animals that are the traditional prey of the most numerous predators. Especially often young individuals who have just lost their maternal care and begin an independent life become victims of carnivorous animals.

The enemies of hares are primarily foxes and wolves. In forested regions they are preyed upon by lynxes. Hares that live near human settlements often become the prey of stray dogs. Birds of prey, in particular eagles, hawks and owls, do not mind eating these animals. Naturally, humans cause tangible damage to the population of hares on all continents.

There are several fascinating facts about hares:

1. In the people, animals are traditionally called "oblique". In fact, hares have complete order with vision. The basis for the appearance of such a definition is the habit of the animal to dodge while running, which in old days hunters associated with strabismus.
2. Oddly enough, hares are not always vegetarians. These animals are not averse to eating the meat of birds and small animals that are in trouble.
3. Contrary to popular belief, hares are by no means cowardly creatures. There have been cases when domesticated hares aggressively attacked dogs and cats, trying to bite them.

This family includes the largest representatives of the order, whose body length is 30-60 cm, rarely more. Their ears are long (at least 50% of the length of the head), pointed at the end, at the base they form a tube. The hind legs in most species are much longer than the forelegs (by 20-35% of the skeleton). The tail is very short, but, with the exception of one species, noticeable from the outside. The body is in most cases slender, somewhat laterally compressed.

The coat is varied - from lush and soft to short and bristly. In many species, the length of the hair and its density, as well as the color, change with the seasons. In general, the color of the fur is often dull, gray-brown. The soles of the paws are covered with a dense brush of hair, and the pads of the toes are never bare. The skin is relatively thin, fragile.

It is characteristic that, in addition to the usual, hard feces, hares form a special, soft feces in the caecum, which they eat and undergo secondary digestion. Dental formula:

Hares inhabit very diverse landscapes from the tundra to the equator, but everywhere, to one degree or another, they are associated with tree and shrub vegetation, which serves as an important food source and also masks animals, especially during the breeding season. Active throughout the year. They don't store food.

Distributed on all continents (acclimatized in Australia and on many islands). In total, there are about 45 species in the modern fauna, which should be combined into 3 groups:

1) real hares (15 species) living in open spaces and temperate forests; most diverse in North America, South America They are not here;

2) rabbits (15 species), also most diverse in North America, less diverse in South America and Africa, one species in Europe and none in Asia;

3) wire-haired, arboreal, or ancient, hares (15 species), mainly concentrated in South Asia (one species each in Africa and North America).

Hares have a significant practical value. In fact, all of them serve as objects of sport hunting, and some of them are used for fur trade. Hares can damage fruit trees, and some of these animals can store infections that are dangerous to humans (for example, tularemia), and carry ticks that transmit diseases. In general, hares deserve protection.

white hare(Lepus timidus) is a relatively large animal, its body length is somewhat different in different parts its range.

The largest hare live in the tundra Western Siberia, their body length is up to 70 cm, and their weight is up to 5.5 kg. The smallest race of white hare inhabits the taiga of Yakutia, the mass of such a white hare is 2.5-3 kg. The ears of the hare are not very long and bent forward; they only reach the end of the nose or slightly protrude beyond it. The tail is all white or with a slight admixture. dark hair above; it is relatively short and round in shape. The paws are relatively wide, the feet are covered with a thick brush of hair. This provides better support in the snow. The load of body weight per 1 cm2 of paw area in a hare is only 9-12 g, while in a fox it is 40-43 g, in a wolf - 90-103 g, and in a hound dog - 90-110 g.

In most areas of its distribution, color changes dramatically with the seasons. In summer, the color of the fur on the back is brown-brown with blackish ripples, the sides are lighter, and the belly is white. In winter, the hare fully justifies its name. At this time, he is dressed in pure white fur and only the tips of his ears are black.

However, this is not the case everywhere. In Ireland, where there is no stable snow cover, the hare does not turn white for the winter. Hares live on the coast of Greenland, in which the winter color is white, and in summer it only darkens slightly, and then becomes brownish-white. On Baffin Island (northeast of North America), where even July temperatures are usually between 0 and +5 ° C, the white hare is white all year round. The change in color is accompanied by a change in fur, which becomes thicker and longer. The hair on the underside of the body is especially lengthened; this is apparently due to the fact that during the daily rest of the hare, it is the lower surface of the body that comes into contact with snow or frozen ground. In winter, hair grows noticeably, covering the soles of the paws and the edges of the nostrils.

The belyak is very widespread. It inhabits the tundra and forest regions of Northern Europe; there is an isolated focus in the Alps. In Siberia, hare is common throughout the tundra, taiga and in some places in the forest-steppe, there is also in the eastern regions of Kazakhstan (near Lake Alakul, in the Saur, Tar-bagatai, Dzhungar Alatau mountains), in Northern Mongolia, Northeast China, on the island of Hokkaido ( Japan), in the northern part of North America (in the Hudson Bay region to the south to 50 ° N), on a narrow strip of the southern and western coast of Greenland. Acclimatized in South America (Chile and Argentina). In the relatively recent past, the white hare was distributed much further south. In the Pleistocene, he was even in the Crimea. Its isolated patch of range in the Swiss Alps is evidence of a wider past range in Western Europe.

Habitat hare is very diverse. In the northern parts of its range, it is found in various types of tupdra, although it clearly prefers shrub tundra, even in Taimyr (the northernmost part of the mainland). It is also common along the coast. It inhabits areas of the taiga zone of various character, preferring, however, forests sparse with meadows, thickets of shrubs, burnt areas and clearings, where there are good fodder and protective conditions. At the southern limit of distribution, in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia and Kazakhstan, it lives mainly in birch groves, in thickets of reeds and tall dense grass. In the Alps, hare often settles at the upper limit of forest vegetation and on alpine meadows(It also happens among stony heaps).

Habitats vary somewhat with the seasons. The white hare is most evenly settled in the summer, when there is a lot of food and it is easy to move around. By winter, hares gather near thickets of shrubs and young trees, which serve as the main source of food in winter. At this time, there is also a noticeable tendency to the edges, where the snow is not so loose. IN mountainous countries in winter, white hare descend to the lower, less snowy belts.

In most of its range, the white hare is a settled animal, and its movements are limited to changing land. However, in some places in the European tundra, on Taimyr and in Greenland, regular massive seasonal movements are noted, during which hares gather in herds of several dozen, and sometimes more than a hundred heads. Hares migrate south in autumn, and in the opposite direction in spring. Autumn concentrations are more noticeable than spring ones. The length of the migration route is tens and even more than a hundred kilometers. The reason for migrations is mainly in the snow cover, which makes it difficult to use low-growing tundra vegetation as food.

This is what the staff of the polar station, located on the northern shore of Lake Taimyr, told the author of these lines. In mid-September, hares began to appear in large numbers in the coastal tundra, where they had not previously been. Initially, they moved east along the shore of the lake. Their movement was especially clearly visible in the evenings, when the hares ran near the water in strings of several dozen animals each. After the appearance of snow, the movement stopped and the hares kept in groups of 30-40 heads. There were many of them at the polar station itself, at the meteorological site. When the lake was covered with ice, the hares went south, and the last single animal was observed on January 17th.

In most areas of its distribution, the hare is awake mainly at night, and it is most active in the early morning and evening hours. Spends daytime lying in a secluded place, under a bush, under a twisted tree root, in a curtain of thick grass. There is no permanent shelter for hares in most areas, and there are usually new places every day. The choice of a place to lie down varies with the seasons and depends on the state of the weather. In summer and winter, the hare spends the day, where there are thick bushes or a lot of deadwood, often in the depths of the forest. In autumn, during the period of leaf fall, and especially with drops from trees, it often lies in open places in the grass.

In years when winter is late and there is no snow for a long time, the whitened animals are clearly visible, they lie very “hard”, and you can easily approach them at 2-3 m.

In the forest zone, whites only during severe frosts dig a hole in the snow 0.5-1.5 long. In case of danger, the animal leaves the bed and jumps out of the hole. Otherwise it happens in the tundra. Here, in winter, hares concentrate in places where large snowwalls occur, usually near the steep slopes of river valleys. In the snow, they dig very deep burrows up to 8 m long, which they use as permanent shelters. Unlike forest hare, which leave the snow hole in case of danger, tundra hare hide in holes as soon as they notice something suspicious. It is not possible to drive out a hare that has run into a hole either with a cry, or with a shot, or with a knock on the snow above the hole.

It is interesting that in the tundra white hare sometimes use burrows in summer, but already earthen ones. Usually they do not dig them themselves, but climb into empty burrows of arctic foxes or marmots (in Eastern Siberia). The use of earthen burrows by hares in summer was also observed in the north of the taiga zone of Yakutia.

Although the hare is mainly a nocturnal animal, in the tundra in winter it is awake during the day. In the forest belt at the beginning of spring, hares also often go out to feed long before sunset.

Going to the bed, the hare makes the so-called “twice” two or three times. Their essence is that the hare stops and returns after a while back in its own footsteps. Then he does big jump to the side. Hunters call this "estimka" or "discount". Thus, a kind of dead end of the hare's trail arises, which, of course, makes it very difficult for predators to track it down.

The hare has the best developed hearing, which basically warns him of danger. Vision and smell are developed, on the contrary, poorly, and a hare sometimes runs very close to a motionless person, even in an open place. The only real defense against pursuit is the ability to run fast. At the same time, the hare being pursued, as soon as it has somewhat broken away from the pursuer, makes “doubles” and “discounts”.

Food varies greatly by season. In summer, the hare eats a variety of herbaceous plants, preferring legumes if possible. Willingly eats horsetails and underground capless mushrooms (reindeer truffle-parga), which it easily digs out. In places you can see a lot of hare digging.

In winter, in most areas, grassy vegetation becomes inaccessible to the hare, and grass that has dried up on the vine is not very nutritious. The main food at this time are small branches and bark of various trees and shrubs. The hare is especially willing to eat willow, aspen, birch, in the south - hazel. In Eastern Siberia, young larches are one of the main winter foods. In other areas, conifers are rarely eaten.

In places in Yakutia, during the mass reproduction of white hare, they destroy more than 50% of young larches and willows, in some areas - completely.

In the spring, after a high-quality winter starvation, hares concentrate where young grass appears, which they eat with greed. At this time, they accumulate on the lawns in groups of 10-30 heads and are so carried away by the meal that they lose their usual caution.

The hare is a very prolific animal. Sexual maturity occurs at 10 months. In the middle zone of the European part of the USSR there are 3 lambing: in early May, late June and early August. In the European taiga and in the taiga of southern Siberia, most females bring only two litters, and in the northern strip of the Siberian taiga and in the tundra, only one litter, in early - mid-June. It is remarkable that the size of the brood is the largest in northern taiga and tundra hares, on average it is 7; here it was often necessary to produce females with 9-10 embryos, and in some females their number reached 12. In medium and southern parts of the range, the brood size is noticeably smaller: 2-5, only single females bring here 7-8 rabbits. As a result, the annual fecundity of the southern whites is only slightly higher than that of the northern ones.

The rut of the hare is stormy, and there are often fights between the males. Pregnancy lasts 47-55, more often - 50 days. Lambing usually occurs on the surface of the earth, in bushes, among deadwood, and only in the tundra and in some places in the Yakut taiga - in holes. Hares are born weighing 90-130 g, sighted and covered with thick fur. Already from the first day after birth, they are able to run, and it is very difficult to catch a three- or four-day-old hare. The brood stays close to the mother without dispersing. It happens that a hare, like many birds, tries to lead a person away from the brood, imitating a sick or wounded one. Rabbits grow very quickly, as milk is very nutritious, containing about 12% protein and about 15% fat. Already at the end of the first week of life, hares begin to eat grass.

In cases where a hare brings several litters a year, she is covered by a male soon, and sometimes immediately after birth. Under natural conditions, hare squirrels live 8-9 years. They are most fertile at the age of 2-7 years, but already from the fourth year of life, fertility begins to decline.

Almost the same development is obtained by intestinal helminthic diseases caused by nematodes and cestodes. In some places, hares are also affected by hepatic trematodes, coccidiosis, which is especially dangerous for young animals. Known epizootics and bacterial nature - tularemia, pseudotuberculosis, etc.

In years of high abundance of hares, the number of predators exterminating them also increases: lynxes, foxes, golden eagles, and eagle owls. When an epizootic begins, predators accelerate the extinction of hares, and after it ends, they delay the restoration of their number. The years of high and low numbers are repeated with a certain regularity. In the north, large "harvests" of hare occur in 10-12 years. To the south - somewhat more often, but with less accuracy. At the same time, it was found that high “yields” and pestilences of the hare never simultaneously cover its entire range and the mass reproduction of hares in some areas is accompanied by a low number in others.

The white hare is of significant importance as an object of fur trade and sport hunting. In the general procurement of furs in the USSR, the cost of hare skins is approximately 3-4%. The prey of this hare is especially large in Yakutia, where in the “harvest” years the population receives several million kilograms of good meat. In some places (for example, in Verkhoyansk) from 100 km2, up to 200 white hare are mined.

The methods of extraction are very diverse. Commercial production is carried out mainly by wire loops installed on hare trails * and a paddock. The last way especially developed in Yakutia, where it gives a very good result. Sometimes a dozen hunters hunt up to 200-300 hares in one day. In the European part of the USSR, hunting with hounds is widely developed, in which the dogs chase the hare along the trail with barking, and the hunter, knowing the places of its most probable move, guards and shoots the runaway animal from a gun. In some places, hunting is common, in which the hunter, having found the night trail of a hare, tries to find it on the hare. Hunting for hare, especially with hounds, is of exceptional sporting interest, and its fishing in the taiga regions makes it possible to involve a lot of meat and fur in the economic circulation.

American, or small, hare(Lepus americanus) is systematically and biologically very close to the hare of Eurasia. It is somewhat smaller in size: its body length is 41-52 cm. The body proportions and coloration are like those of our white hare. In winter, everywhere the fur becomes snow-white and only the tips of the ears remain black.

This species is distributed in the coniferous and mixed forests of North America, as far south as California and the Appalachians. In some years it is very numerous - in the best lands up to 10 individuals per hectare. The lifestyle is very sedentary. The daily individual plot is on average 2.5 hectares, and even less for lactating females. In males, the habitat area is much larger and equal to the sum of the areas of females covered by the male. The type of food is the same as that of the Eurasian squirrel. They are similar in their main features and the nature of reproduction. In the southern parts of the range, it breeds 2-3 times a year, while most females give only two litters (from May to July). In Alaska, there are never more than two litters brought from late May to mid-July.

The fecundity of the American hare is small: the average brood size is 3, and the maximum is -7, i.e., noticeably less than that of the hare in Northeast Siberia where the female has up to 12 embryos. The largest broods occur in the middle of summer. Pregnancy is shorter than that of the European hare (36-40 days); this is due to the smaller size. american hare. Hares are born sighted and in wool, milk feeding lasts 30-35 days, but already from 10-12 days of age, hares begin to eat grass. Life expectancy -7-8 years.

The number of American hare varies greatly from year to year. During the years of mass reproduction, a hunter can get several hundred of these furry animals in a season. The causes of population instability are complex, but apparently great importance have epizootics of helminthic and infectious nature, in which mainly young animals die. The famous American biologist E. T. Seton observed such a mass reproduction of this hare that farmers began to fear for their fields. “But,” writes Seton, “the fear was unfounded. Before winter, pestilence passed through the forests and did its job, coming and working mysteriously and silently but effectively. The country from Whitemouth to Whitesand, 250 miles long and 150 miles wide, was littered with the corpses of white hares.”

A high number of hares is observed periodically, approximately every 10-12 years, as in our country, in the north-east of Siberia.

The American hare is regularly hunted not only by amateurs, but also by professional hunters.

hare(Lepus europaeus) in most areas of its distribution is somewhat larger than the hare.

This is especially noticeable in the northern and northeastern parts of its range. Only white hare from the tundra of Western Siberia are as large as large hare. The body length of a hare is up to 70 cm, more often - 55-60 cm, weight up to 7 kg, more often - 4-5 kg. Outwardly, the hare differs well from the white hare in its longer ears (100-120 mm), a longer tail, pointed and black on top. The color of the fur of the hare is yellowish-yellow-red, sometimes ol willow-kovo-red in different shades with large black-brown streaks. Undercoat with black or black-brown ends, very silky, unlike other hares of the fauna of the USSR; the undercoat hair is not straight, but crimped. The edges of the ears are black-brown.

The paws of the hare are shorter than those of the hare: the length of the foot is 125-170 mm (for the hare 130-190 mm), and narrower.

This is a direct reflection of the fact that the hare lives mainly in areas where the snow is relatively fine and hard. The weight load per 1 cm2 of the supporting surface of all paws is 16-18 g, i.e., significantly greater than that of the hare. The hare runs faster than the hare, his jumps are longer; on the trail, the distance between the prints of the front and hind legs is greater than that of the hare. At a short distance, the hare is able to reach a running speed of up to 50 km / h.

Between the hare and the hare, crossbreeds, the so-called cuffs, are possible. They were found in a natural setting and received when keeping hares in a zoo. In captivity, cuffs are able to breed.

Rusak is originally a steppe animal that spread in the steppe regions of Europe, Western and Minor Asia and North Africa. Only, probably, from the middle of the Quaternary time did its settlement begin to the north, and later to the east.

At present, the hare is distributed in the steppes, forest-steppes and sparsely forested areas of the forest zone of Europe north to the British Isles (inclusive), southern Sweden, southern Finland, and in the USSR - to the southern regions of the Arkhangelsk region, Perm region. There is no hare in the taiga part of the Urals: the border of the hare distribution goes around this ridge from the south. In recent historical times, the Rusak settled in the southern regions of Western Siberia, in the Kurgan, Omsk regions, in Northern Kazakhstan, in the lower reaches of the Syrdarya River. It exists in the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, in some places in Iran, Turkey, the northern parts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.

The area of ​​distribution of the hare has been artificially expanded. Starting from 1936, several batches of these hares (about 2600 individuals in total) were released for acclimatization to the steppe lands of the Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Chita regions, Altai, Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk territories. In some places, the hare took root and settled quite widely (in some places for 100 km or more). However, nowhere did the Russians reach such a high density as in their homeland. In the Irkutsk region in 1962 there were up to 10 hares per 100 km2. The picture is similar in other areas as well.

Rusak is also artificially settled in North America (in Canada in 1912 and the USA in 1889). Released about 1000 hares. They have taken root here and settled quite widely. Soon in Canada, there were about 10 hares per 1 km2 of good land, in some places the density reached 45 hares. In the United States, hare have never reached such a density, and in recent decades, its numbers have noticeably decreased. Good results were obtained during the acclimatization of the hare in New Zealand and in the southern regions of Australia. These hares have long been the object of hunting.

Within their natural range, the hare varies geographically significantly. The largest race (weight up to 7 kg) inhabits Bashkiria, the northeastern regions of the range (Tataria, Kirov and adjacent regions). For the winter, these hares turn very white, but still they are not completely white, like white hares. Especially a lot of dark hair happens on the back. In the central regions, the hare is somewhat smaller (up to 5.5 kg) and winter whitening is less pronounced. In the Crimea, in the Caucasus and in the steppes of the Lower Volga region, the hare is even smaller, and the winter color of their fur does not have significant differences. Their sizes are small: weight - 4-4.5 kg. The smallest hare lives in Transcaucasia and Iran (weight - up to 3.5 kg); he does not have a seasonal change in fur color. Rusaks, acclimatized in Siberia, retained their large size, their fur became thicker and longer. For the winter, they turn white even more than the northern European hare.

Rusak loves open places and settles mainly in the steppes, fields, especially if there are thickets of weeds, thick grass or bushes. Occurs in grain fields, meadow floodplains. In autumn and early winter, when the snow is not yet very deep, fields with winter seedlings are the hare's favorite places. Here he finds plentiful tasty food, and lays down for a day rest in the nearest bushes, in areas of fall, on the edge of the forest.

In the depths of coniferous massifs, the hare is rarely found, preferring the edges, sometimes clearings and burnt areas. IN deciduous forests, especially in aspen, willow, oak forests, the hare is more common, although here it prefers sparse places. In some places, in the western part of the range, in forests with a significant admixture of broad-leaved species (for example, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha), the hare prevails numerically over the hare.

The hare definitely avoids swamps. In the mountains (for example, in the Caucasus and the Alps), it is distributed everywhere, with the exception of large forests. Up in the summer it rises to 1500-2000 m, in the winter it goes down. The hare does not avoid rural villages, and in the northern forest regions even gravitates towards them. There are more open spaces and more food in the form of growing agricultural plants or their remains.

Rusaks are generally sedentary, and individual animals stubbornly cling to certain areas. But in the steppe zone in snowy winters with strong snowstorms, their mass migrations are observed in search of places rich in food.

In summer, the hare eats a wide variety of herbaceous plants, preferring cereals and legumes. The nutrition of these plants is preserved even in winter, if the depth of the snow cover allows; willingly eats seeds of various weeds at this time. In conditions when digging snow is difficult, the hare switches to feeding on tree and shrub vegetation. Most willingly, he eats shoots and bark of willow, maple, elm, broom, as well as apple and pear trees. With this, the hare naturally harm the gardens, but the fight against them is not difficult.

Like the hare, the hare is predominantly a nocturnal animal. Leaving from feeding to laying, he often goes out onto the roads, on which he makes the same “twists” and “bastings” as the white hare.

The bed is arranged in the furrows of plowing, in stubble, in a curtain of tall grass, and, if possible, under a bush or a fallen tree. More often, a hare arranges a bed without first building it. Sometimes a hare bites branches or blades of grass that prevent him from getting settled for the day. But in the sand dunes, when the heat is strong, the hares dig a hole in which they spend the day. Burrows are sometimes arranged in winter, especially during strong snowstorms.

Often a hare, buried in the snow, is completely covered with snow, and the surprise of the hunter who comes across the place where the hare lies is great when he jumps literally at his very feet, from under the seemingly virgin veil of snow, where nothing betrayed the presence of "oblique".

The hare breeds more often on the surface of the earth, arranging only a small hole in a secluded place. Less often, mainly in hot countries, lambing occurs in a specially dug hole. Rusak breeds differently in different areas. In Western Europe, breeding lasts from mid-March to mid-September. During this time, about 75% of females give 4 broods. In years with very warm winters and in early spring maybe 5 broods. Most of the females giving birth occur in May-June. For a year, a hare brings 9-11 rabbits, since the size of the brood is small (2-4 hare).

In the central and eastern regions of the USSR, the hare gives 2, less often 3 litters per year. The first lambing occurs here at the end of April-beginning of May, the second - at the end of June-beginning of July. The number of embryos varies from 2 to 8, more often 3-4, i.e., noticeably more than in Western Europe, but since the number of litters is smaller here, the annual fertility is similar (7-8 rabbits per year).

Otherwise, reproduction takes place in the plain and foothill regions of the Caucasus. Pregnant females are found here in all months, but more often in February - July. The number of embryos is minimal in winter - 1.5, and maximum in spring - 3.3, on average per year - 2.5. The number of litters in one female is 3-4, and, therefore, she brings 8-10 rabbits per year.

Pregnancy is about the same as that of a hare - 45-50 days. Hares are born with wool, sighted, weighing about 100 g. At the age of two weeks, they reach 300-400 g and begin to eat grass. Maturity is usually reached the next spring, very rarely, in western parts range, females become capable of breeding in the same summer that they are born. Life expectancy is about 7-8 years.

The number of hare varies from year to year, although not within the same limits as belyakov, and for several other reasons.

Rusaks are less susceptible to diseases of the helminthic disease and are less likely to become infected with liver trematodes. However, among them, coccidiosis has been widespread for years, especially in young people. mass death from this disease occurs at the age of 5 weeks to 5 months. Epizootics of pasteurellosis, tularemia, brucellosis (porcine) and other infectious diseases are known. Rusaks are more likely than whites to suffer from adverse weather conditions. Particularly destructive are snowy, blizzard winters, which deprive hares of the opportunity to feed normally, and an unstable spring with alternating thaws and frosts, during which the first broods die. In dry years, fertility decreases, as food becomes inferior. Predators play a certain role in changing the number of the hare.

The significance of the hare as a hunting object is well known. In the USSR, Ukraine gives the largest commercial yield of skins. Hunting methods are varied, although somewhat different than for white hare. The hare is often hunted with hounds, which have very good senses and can run fast. Rusak runs faster than a hare; he often uses well-rolled roads, often runs even into settlements. The racing hare does not make such regular “circles” and often does not return to the prone, from which, during the pursuit, it sometimes leaves for several kilometers. The tracking of the hare is also developed, i.e., tracking along the trail to lying down. This method gives better results than hare trailing, since the hare lays down in more open places. Kazakhstan has preserved a very interesting way prey with hunting birds (goshawk and golden eagle), which the mounted hunter releases into the air when a hare is found and raised. Hunting is being revived with greyhounds catching hares raised by hunters or hounds. Sometimes they guard the hares on moonlit nights in gardens, vegetable gardens or in places where they are specially fed. The use of samotrakov is poorly developed. In Western Europe, hunting is developed by corrals, or "boiler", when the hunters are arranged in a chain in a circle, which is gradually shrinking. In the USSR, such hunting for hares is prohibited.

Tolai hare, or sandstone(Lepus tolai), after appearance somewhat similar to a small hare. His body length is 39-55 cm, weight - 1.5-2.5 kg. The ears are long and bent forward, they go far beyond the end of the nose, less often they only reach the end of it. The general coloration of the body is brownish-gray or ocher-gray with a small dashed pattern. There is no significant seasonal difference in fur color in most areas. Only hares living high in the mountains and in the northernmost parts of their range lighten somewhat for the winter (but do not turn white). The tail, like that of the hare, is wedge-shaped, 75-115 mm long, black on top. The feet of the hind legs are relatively narrow, and this hare is not adapted to moving in deep snow.

Distributed throughout Central Asia, in Kazakhstan (slightly north of the Caspian Sea and Lake Balkhash), in Altai, in the Chui steppe, in the steppes of Transbaikalia, north to about Ulan-Ude and Chita, in the desert-steppe regions of Mongolia, China, North Western India, Afghanistan and Northeast Iran, in the deserts of Arabia and Northeast Africa. Transbaikalian and Mongolian tolai are larger than Central Asian ones, and their fur color is noticeably lighter in winter.

The habitats of this miniature hare are very diverse, although it clearly prefers desert areas with shrubs or clumps of tall grass. Equally often it can be found in both sandy and clay deserts, in places with hilly terrain and on ideal plains. It is not uncommon in tugai, especially where there are clearings. In saxaul forests, he settles less willingly. He definitely avoids salt marshes with poor vegetation, and even more so barren takyrs. In mountainous countries, it lives along river valleys, in upland steppes, along the edges of forest areas. In the Tien Shan, it is distributed along slopes up to 3000 m above sea level, and even higher in the Pamirs. An attraction to water bodies has been noted, although this hare can do without water for a long time. Clearly avoids deep snow and in the mountains in winter descends to the lower, less snowy belts.

By the nature of the food, the tolan hare is similar to the white hare. In summer, it feeds on a variety of herbaceous plants, preferring grasses and sedge, less often at this time it eats wormwood. Already in autumn, tolai gradually switches to feeding on branches and bark of trees and shrubs. Especially willingly, he eats comb, chingil, branches and young shoots of which, during the mass reproduction of hares, are completely destroyed over large areas. Most readily, these hares eat branches up to 1 cm thick; in larger ones, they gnaw off the bark. Less willingly, they eat branches of saxaul and sandy acacia. In places, wormwood serves as their main winter food. In spring, hares often dig up the roots and tubers of herbaceous plants, and traces of their feeding activities are clearly visible in numerous digging holes. Tolai feeds more often at night and spends the day on the hay, but in the highlands it can be seen feeding during the day or at dusk.

In Central Asia, as a rule, burrows do not dig, exceptions occur in hot weather. sandy deserts where it digs shallow burrows about 50 cm long. Young often run into the holes of other animals. IN Central Asia On the contrary, tolai very willingly uses marmot burrows for shelter, less often he uses extended ground squirrel burrows.

The rut starts early: near Lake Balkhash - in early January, and in Kyzylkum even in December, in Central Asia - in February. 3-5 males run after one female, between which there are fights, often accompanied by a piercing cry. Hares usually fight with their front paws, while rising on their hind legs. Opponents often bite each other on the ears and scruff.

Pregnant hares keep very carefully, do not go far for feeding and keep very “strongly” when lying down, literally jumping out from under the feet of an approaching person. Raised from the bed, they soon hide again.

In Central Asia, tolai brings 3, less often - 4 litters per year, in Central Asia - 2-3. In hot deserts, the first lambing occurs in March, and in high mountain regions much later - in May. Reproduction ends in September. There are up to 9 rabbits in the litter; at the first lambing, there are more often 1-2 hares, at the second - 3-5, at the third, about the same number.

Pregnancy lasts 45-48 days, and hares are born sighted and in wool, weighing 65-95 g. They become sexually mature the next year, that is, at the age of about 6-8 months.

Tolay is obtained mainly when hunting with a gun. Arrange corrals or shoot animals raised from the bed. Some hunters use traps and greyhounds. In general, mining is poorly developed, and the number of skins supplied for harvesting per 100 km2 is 2.5 in Uzbekistan, 1.5 in Kazakhstan, and only 0.6 in Turkmenistan.

In the high-mountain deserts of Central Asia (in Tibet, Kashmir, Nepal), at an altitude of 3000-5000 m, a peculiar, but systematically close to tolai, is common. Tibetan curly hare(Lepus osiostolus), which fully justifies its name, since its soft hairline is wavy or curly. The general color of the fur is ocher-pink or brown with a pink tint, with a large dark-colored pattern. The underside of the body is white. By seasons, the coloring almost does not change, only the area of ​​the sacrum noticeably brightens. It lives on mountain plateaus, on the slopes of mountains among stones and grass clumps.

Close to tolai and several species of African hares, for example cape hare(L. capensis), bush hare (L. saxatilis), distributed in the southern regions of Africa in open spaces, in thickets of shrubs, along the edges of forest plantations, and widespread red-sided hare(L. crawshayi). It is found from South to North Africa, but keeps in open spaces, in savannahs and in sparse forest stands. These hares are somewhat smaller than the tolai, and their body length is 35-54 cm; the ears, on the contrary, are relatively long, up to 13 cm. The paws are short, covered with curly hair.

Several species of hares, also systematically approaching the tolai, are distributed in North America, Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, California and adjacent areas. These are, for example, black-brown hare(L. insularis), mexican hare(L. texicanus), Californian or black-tailed hare(L. californicus) and some others.

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The last of the mentioned species is distributed north of the others, as far north as Oregon, Nebraska, Kansas and southern Washington State. This hare is somewhat larger than the thick, brownish-gray color that does not change with the seasons. His ears are of moderate length, very wide, which, apparently, is associated with living mainly in open spaces. The black-tailed hare is found on grassy plains, in arid steppes and various types of deserts. It does not avoid hilly terrain and treeless mountains, spreading up to 2000 m.

These hares are biologically close to the steppe and desert hares of other countries. They run fast; the Californian hare develops a speed of up to 40 km/h, but migrations are unusual for them: for example, in the state of Idaho, 95% of tagged animals, even after 2-3 years, were re-caught at a distance of about 500 m from the place of release.

They breed most of the year, bringing up to 5 broods, but the brood size is small (2-3); in the northern parts of the range, there are fewer broods, but their sizes are larger.

The most distinguished among the hares of this group white-tailed hare(L. campestris), distributed in places in the southern provinces of Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) and in the United States of America south to Oklahoma, Arizona, Northern Nevada. Unlike other hares of the described group, the white-tailed hare

changes color according to the seasons: in summer it is brownish-gray, in winter it is white, and only on the ears, muzzle and paws does the dark color remain. Only in the very south of the range there is no complete change in color. This hare is also distinguished by the fact that its tail in all seasons is white not only from below, but also from above (hence its name is white-tailed).

It lives in thickets of bushes, along the edges of the forest, often in open spaces. The number of the white-tailed hare changes dramatically over the years as a result of periodic epizootics, helminthiases, tularemia and other contagious diseases. The fertility of this hare is greater than that of the Californian; in a litter, on average, there are 4 cubs. Pregnancy lasts a little over 40 days. For the year brings 3 and maybe 4 broods. The rut starts in February-March.

All listed American species of hares serve as objects of sport hunting.

rabbits

The species belonging to the group have been described above. hares proper(Leporini). The second such large group are rabbits(Orycto-lagini). These are relatively small animals with relatively short ears and short hind legs and tail. Their color is dull, generally gray with brownish or ocher tones. The underside of the body is white. There is no seasonal color change. Biologically, they are characterized by a relatively short pregnancy and the birth of underdeveloped, and in a number of species, naked and blind cubs. Lambing occurs in a hole or (in some American rabbits) in a nest arranged in a pit-shaped depression in the soil, under a bush. Most species live in areas with a mild climate, and only a few American species live in areas where snow cover is established in winter. Distributed in Central and Southern Europe, in Africa, in the southern part of North America, in Central and South America. In addition, in many countries acclimatized.

European wild rabbit(Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the only species that has been domesticated and has produced a wide variety of breeds currently bred. A wild rabbit has a body length of 35-45 cm, and its ears are only 6-7 cm long.

The color of the fur is brownish-gray with a small line pattern. The underside of the body is white or with an admixture of a grayish tone. The top of the tail is grey.

Distributed in Western and Central Europe, in North Africa. Acclimatized in Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and on many islands, in particular in the subantarctic regions. It was brought to our country and acclimatized in the south of Ukraine in the last century. Currently, there are several colonies of these animals near Odessa, along the coast of the Khodjibey, Kuyalnitsky and Tiligulsky estuaries, in the area between the Dniester and the Southern Bug, in the Nikolaev and Kherson regions. Judging by the fact that in these places there are rabbits of very different colors, it is likely that feral domestic rabbits have repeatedly joined the wild animals.

The habitats of rabbits are quite diverse; they inhabit small forests, bushes, parks, gardens and open spaces, preferring areas with sandy soil and rugged terrain, with ravines and hills. They do not avoid the proximity of human habitation and sometimes settle directly near buildings. They live in burrows, often in colonies. The rabbit lives in the hole from year to year, increasing the number of moves in it. As a result, a long-inhabited burrow is a very complex structure. They willingly settle in old quarries (for example, in Ukraine) and use the voids in them for housing.

Unlike hares, they do not go far when feeding and hide in a hole at the slightest danger. They do not run very fast, at short distances (up to 20-25 km / h), but very nimble, so it is difficult even for experienced dogs to catch an adult rabbit on the surface of the earth. Predators often catch them by sneaking up or stalking. Awake rabbits can be seen at any time of the day, but they are most active at night. Attachment to a particular area of ​​\u200b\u200bhabitat is great, especially in adult females with rabbits, who are reluctant to allow other adult rabbits into their area. In some places, it was observed that adult males also adhere to a certain area in the immediate vicinity of the female.

Most rabbits are polygamous, but some males are clearly monogamous and stay on the territory of one particular female.

They reproduce very quickly. They become sexually mature at the age of less than a year, more often in the next spring. Individual animals mature at 5-6 months. In Ukraine, breeding begins in March, and rabbits bring 3-4 litters of 3-7 rabbits, and in just a year there are from 15 to 20 rabbits per female cat. The rabbit is somewhat more prolific in southern countries. Western Europe, where from March to October he brings 3-5 litters of 5-6 rabbits; the maximum number of cubs in a brood is 12.

It breeds even faster in Australia and New Zealand. Here the rabbit breeds almost the whole year. In Australia there is a break in breeding in the middle of summer when the grass burns out; in New Zealand, by contrast, breeding almost ceases in winter, when only about 10% of females are pregnant. Mass reproduction begins here in June-July. In young females (less than 10 months old) the average number of cubs is 4.2, and in fully grown-ups it is 5.1, but from the age of three, the fecundity of females noticeably decreases. In New Zealand, one female brings an average of 20 rabbits per year, and in Australia even 40.

Pregnancy lasts 28-30 (up to 40) days, and the rabbits are born naked and blind.

Their eyes open on the 10th day. Milk feeding lasts about a month. The mortality of young animals is high, especially in rainy times, when the burrows get wet or even flooded. In the first three weeks, about 40% of young animals die. It is noted that the lowest mortality occurs in places with sandy soil. In some places, many rabbits, especially young ones, die from coccidiosis. Life expectancy is on average 5-6 years (up to a maximum of 10 years).

In many areas of Western Europe, in New Zealand and especially in Australia, rabbits cause great harm by eating pasture vegetation, damaging crops and spoiling the land with their burrows. It is believed that 4-5 rabbits eat as much pasture food as one sheep. The fight against rabbits has been going on for a long time. Imported to Australia and New Zealand predatory mammals, not seen there before: fox, ferret, ermine, weasel. This did not work, and the rabbits continued to breed. In places in Australia, mesh fences were set up to prevent the rabbit from settling in new areas, and although the length of the fences in places reached several tens of kilometers, this event also did not prevent the “rabbit danger”.

In the early 50s of this century, the inhabitants of Australia began a "bacteriological war", infecting rabbits with an acute viral disease - myxomatosis. This disease does not affect people, domestic animals and other types of wild animals. The initial effect was very large, in many areas of Australia about 90% of all rabbits were destroyed, but by the 60s there were more and more animals that did not die from myxomatosis, with innate or developed immunity, and the number of rabbits began to recover again. The rabbit problem persists in Australia to this day. It must be remembered that in 1840 only 16 rabbits were brought here from Europe.

The history of the origin of numerous breeds of domesticated rabbits and their classification have not been sufficiently studied. There is no doubt that even in the Middle Ages, rabbits of various breeds were bred. The formation of new breeds was especially intensive in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Currently, there are more than 50 indistinct breeds. Their classification is based on the predominant value of the products obtained. There are meat-skin and downy breeds. The most common representatives of the first group are chinchilla, Viennese blue, champagne, etc.

Silver gray fur chinchillas to a certain extent similar to the fur of the endemic rodent of the same name in South America. The average weight of adult animals is 3-4 kg, and the body length is 40-50 cm.

Coloring Viennese blue rabbit bluish gray. Its fur is thick, soft, medium height, with relatively short and delicate awns, and the down is quite thick. The skins of this rabbit are used mainly to imitate more expensive furs (for example, a cat).

Flandre, or Belgian giant, and white giant are mainly important as a meat breed. Outwardly, the flanders look like a hare * Its ears are long (15-18 cm), dense and straight. The average weight of an adult is 6.5 kg, but sometimes reaches 9 kg. Body length not less than 65 cm (sometimes up to 1 m).

The main downy breed is considered angora rabbit, whose coat length reaches 12 cm or more. At the same time, down makes up about 90% of all wool. The most common are white Angora rabbits, but pink, blue, black, red and piebald down are also known. Usually, 150-300 (up to 500) g of down is obtained from an adult animal per year, which is used to make felt and knitted down products. From one kilogram of down you can weave 2.5 m of woolen fabric.

American wirehaired rabbits(Sylvilagus) are somewhat larger than European ones, and have a body length of 38-54 cm. In addition, they are distinguished by a coarse hairline of hard, sometimes even somewhat bristly hair. The general coloration is gray-brown or gray, which does not change significantly with the seasons of the year. Ears and tail are short. The hind legs, like those of the European species, are short. Unlike the European rabbit, they usually do not dig holes, but to rest and give birth to young ones, they build nests in natural depressions in the soil or dig shallow holes themselves. They also use abandoned burrows of other animals, such as foxes.

Only a few more than 10 species, of which two are distributed in South America, the rest in North America, mainly in its southern part.

A typical view of this group Florida rabbit, or cottontail rabbit(Sylvilagus floridanus). This species received its last name for its short, rounded tail, white below and laterally.

Its dimensions are average: body length 38-46 cm, ear - 5-7 cm. The general color of the fur is brownish-brown, whitish on the belly. Distributed from the northwestern regions of South America, through Central America, Mexico, many states of North America north to Minnesota, Michigan. On this vast expanse lives in a very diverse environment, from the tropics to areas with snowy winters. Inhabits forests, thickets of bushes, prairies. In some places very numerous and harmful agriculture. It runs, like other rabbits, not fast, but very nimble and tries to hide at the first opportunity.

They breed during most of the year, sometimes bringing 5 and, as some authors, such as Burton, even up to 7 litters, indicate. There are 2-7 young in a brood. In the southern parts of the range, there are more litters, but their size is smaller, on average 4.8, against 6.2 in the north. Pregnancy is short (27-30 days), newborns are barely covered with hair and are blind. The eyes open at the age of 5-8 days. The nest is abandoned two weeks after birth. Milk feeding lasts about a month. They become sexually mature at 4-5 months, and sometimes at 3 months. Life expectancy is about 8 years. The number of this rabbit over the years is very unstable. The main causes of increased mortality are infectious epizootics and cold rainy weather in which newborns die.

Swamp and water rabbits(S. palustris; S. aquaticus)

common in the swampy plains of Alabama, South and North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and southern Missouri. They live along the coast of rivers and lakes in thickets of dense grass and in forests, more often along swampy plains. They swim well and often go into the water when pursued. Nests are arranged in natural depressions in the soil and lined with dry grass and their own hair (down), which females pluck from their own skin. They breed in April and September, bringing 2-6 young in a litter.

pygmy rabbit- the smallest rabbit, it has a body length of only 25-29 cm.

His fur, unlike other American rabbits, is thick and very soft, almost silky. The general coloration of the upper body and ears is gray, with a brownish tinge. The underside of the body is white. This rabbit, like the European one, digs holes in which it gives birth to naked, blind cubs. There are on average 6 rabbits in a litter. The pygmy rabbit breeds from May to August. It lives in bush thickets in the south of North America (Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, California).

Widespread in South America brazilian rabbit(Sylvilagus brasiliensis) is a relatively small animal, its body length is 38-42 cm. The general color of the fur is ocher-red. The tail is rusty-brown above and below. Inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from wet rainforest to the treeless steppes.

One species of African rabbit belongs to a special genus - curly-tailed rabbit(Pronolagus crassicaudatus). This is a medium-sized animal with a body length of 35-49 cm. Its hairline is soft, which distinguishes it well from most American rabbits. The general coloration is brownish-gray, but the underparts are white. The tail is quite long (up to 13 cm), often shorter and covered with thick curly hair. Distributed in the southern strip of Africa, south of the Congo, Angola, Tanganyika, in bushes, in savannahs. The lifestyle has not been studied.

Wire-haired, or ancient, hares

The third and last group of hares are the so-called wire-haired, or ancient, hares(Pentalagini). In their organization, the features characteristic of the ancestral forms of hares of the Tertiary time have been preserved. These are mostly small animals, with short ears and short hind legs. The hairline in most species is hard, in some even somewhat bristly. The general coloration is gray OR brown, and the underparts are often colored in the same way as the top.

Most species of wire-haired hares are biologically unspecialized and do not have the ability to run fast, like real hares, and dig holes, like rabbits. Geographically distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, both in its mainland and on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. One species is common in tropical Africa. They live in a variety of environments in forests, bushes, savannahs, some species in the mountains.

Among these hares, of which there are about 15 species, we point out a peculiar Japanese tree hare(Pentolagus furnessi) is a small animal with a body length of about 40 cm. It has a monochromatic black-brown color, and a narrow white stripe runs up to the middle part of the belly and chest. The ears are very short, almost rolled into a tube; pressed to the head, they barely reach the posterior margin of the eyes. The legs are short, the fingers are armed with thick, long and slightly curved claws. With their help, the hare successfully climbs trees. The tail is very short, almost invisible from the outside.

This hare is widespread in Japan. It lives in forests and nests in hollows. It partially feeds on trees, but cannot climb thin branches.

On the island of Sumatra, the same small, short-eared and short-legged striped hare(Nesolagus netscheri). The top of the body is yellow-gray, the bottom is white. There are distinct black stripes on the head, along the body and on the legs. Such a striped coloration is not found in representatives of other species of hares. This hare lives both on the plains and in the mountains. Nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, the striped hare hides in burrows, more often dug and abandoned by other animals; less often he digs holes. He runs slowly.

A number of species of rough-haired hares are common in mainland South Asia. These are, for example: bristly hare(Caprolagus hispidus), inhabiting India and Nepal; Burmese hare (C. pegnensis), living in Indochina.

Only one species from the group of wire-haired hares exists in the USSR. This bush or Manchurian hare(Caprolagus brachyurus) is a relatively small species with a body length of 42-54 cm. Its hind legs and ears are relatively short.

The ears attached to the head do not go beyond the end of the nose. The tail is very short. The hairline is less rigid than in other species of this group. The general color tone is ocher-brown, with large brown streaks. The underside of the body is white. seasonal change there is no fur coloration. In the southern part of the range, melanistic specimens are often found, in which the top of the head, back and sides are black.

This species is distributed in Japan, Northeast China, Korea and in the south of the Primorsky Territory of the USSR, north to 49 ° N. sh., and along the Amur to 51 ° N. sh.

Keeps in forests and thickets of bushes, and resolutely avoids coniferous plantations, preferring them to deciduous, in particular broad-leaved, forests. It is common on the slopes of hills, in floodplains of rivers overgrown with oak, hazel, and willow. He does not like old, closed plantations and settles only on their outskirts. Nocturnal lifestyle. It spends the day lying down, choosing for it not only secluded places under snags, bushes, but often lies in the hollows of lying trees and in abandoned burrows of other animals, such as badgers. Like many other hares, it stays very “strong” on the bed, letting a person 2-3 m, or even closer. In winter, especially during heavy snowfalls, the bush hare burrows into the snow. In bad weather, the animal does not come to the surface during the day, but feeds under the snow, in which it lays a system of passages. Before lying down on the bed, he, like a white hare, makes “doubles” and “bastings”.

Animals of Russia. Directory

- (Leporidae) * * The hare family combines hares and rabbits. Hares inhabit all natural areas from the tundra to equatorial forests and deserts, they rise to mountains up to 4900 m. The body length of representatives of the family is 25 74 cm, weight up to 10 kg, ... ... Animal life

- (Leporidae) a family of mammals of the order of lagomorphs (See Lagomorphs). 8 genera: hares (1 genera), wire-haired hares (3 genera), rabbits (4 genera); unite 50 species. Separate types adapted for fast running, digging, swimming, ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (Leporidae) a family of mammals from the order of rodents (Glires). The main distinguishing feature of the family is that in the premaxillary bones behind the ordinary incisors there are two small additional ones; dental formula p (1 + 1) / 1, class ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

- (Rodentia s. Glires) make up special detachment(order) of a class of mammals, containing more than a third of the total number of species of this class. The most characteristic feature of G. is their dental system. They never have fangs, in the upper and lower ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

International scientific name kind of hares in Latin sounds like Lepus. These mammals belong to the hare order of the hare family. Previously, they were considered a type of rodent. Later, scientists found that they differ in the composition of the blood and the structure of the teeth. Hares are one of the most common animals in our country. On the territory of Russia there are 4 most common types of hares: Manchurian hare, white hare, sandstone hare, brown hare. Lifestyle and some characteristics may differ depending on the species. We want to talk about the last of these representatives today.

Hare-hare: description

This species differs from others in a larger size: its length can reach 68 cm, height - 30 cm. Weight ranges from 5 to 7 kg, it directly depends on the place of residence. In our country, the largest individuals live on the territory of Bashkiria, and the smallest are southern hares. The hare has rather long (9-15 cm) ears and excellent hearing. Unlike a white hare, a hare has more a long tail wedge-shaped, which is painted black on top. In addition, the hare's feet are longer and narrower. The eyes of the hare have a beautiful reddish-brown tint.

Color

Representatives of this breed have a beautiful wavy silky coat. A distinctive feature of the brown hare is the color. It combines an indescribable mixture of various fawn, yellowish gray, red tones with a noticeable ripple that stands out especially on the back. The fur in this place is curly and becomes like a good lambskin (the so-called lamb fur). Please note that those living in the southern and western regions of the former Soviet Union hare-hare color does not change throughout the year. In the northern regions and to the east, the hare only turn white a little, mainly from the sides. At the northern limit in winter, hares become almost white, only a dark stripe on the back remains. The tips and trim of the ears, as well as top part tails always remain black.

Moult

Like all representatives of the hare family, animals have seasonal molt twice a year - in spring and autumn. The beginning and duration of this process are connected with external conditions. Molting occurs after a change in the length of daylight hours, and its duration depends on air temperature. spring molt begins already at the end of winter or at the very beginning of spring, lasts for 75-80 days. Molting starts from the head and ends at the level of the lower extremities. Moulting in autumn, on the contrary, begins at the back of the body and gradually passes to the head. Most often, it begins in September, and ends at the end of November. The fur grows thicker, lusher by winter, it perfectly protects the animal from the cold. Molting completely changes the image of a hare, which allows it to fit better into the surrounding nature and be less noticeable to its enemies.

Hearing and smell

The animal is perfectly adapted to living in open spaces. According to the description, the hare has good vision and is able to distinguish danger at a distance of 300-400 m. The statement that the hare is "myopic" is erroneous, most likely, it is due to the fact that the animal is very curious and cannot always determine the level of danger. Perhaps for this reason, a hare can let a hunter close to him. No less acutely developed is his sense of smell and hearing, which help him to navigate perfectly in the environment. There are many examples when an animal shows restraint, resourcefulness, cunning. Habitat hare is often located in close proximity to humans. Many habits of a hare speak of his ingenuity, for example, in case of danger, he often seeks salvation in settlements or hides in a herd of cattle.

hare habitat

This species of hares mainly inhabits the entire European part of our country - from Arkhangelsk to the coast of the Caspian Sea, from the western borders to the Trans-Urals. Its habitat area is constantly expanding, for example, over the past 50-60 years, the border has moved east by about 1000 km. Rusakov were released where they had not previously lived, these are the regions of Western Siberia and the Far East. Note that the attempts of scientists to acclimatize animals on the territory of Buryatia ended in failure. Rusaks have a commitment to a habitat chosen once. Except for those individuals that live in the mountains. In winter, they descend to the foot, and after the snow melts, they rise again to the mountains. Each animal retains a territory of 50 hectares. The hare is a steppe hare, therefore, most often it chooses open lands for living, it can be found next to fields planted with various crops, in ravines, gullies, gardens, meadows, on the outskirts of forests, in shrubbery.

Lifestyle

By way of life, a hare can be called a twilight nocturnal animal; during daylight hours, it most often rests on daylight hours. However, in the event that a high number of his relatives is observed, the hare's habits may change, it becomes active in the daytime. For lying down, he chooses a wide variety of places, it depends on the weather, lighting, and the nature of the terrain.

Nora

Unlike other representatives of the hare family - rabbits - the hare never digs deep holes. Hare holes are small depressions in the ground and are found under bushes or tree roots. In good sunny weather, they arrange their days in those places where there is at least a little shelter. In winter, lying is not required at all, because hares sleep right on the snow.

habits

Despite its large size, the hare is able to reach very high speeds - up to 60 km/h. However, we note that it can move at such a pace for a relatively short time. While running, the hare performs long jumps and abruptly changes direction. He skillfully knows how to confuse the tracks, run in large circles, winding around the area, thereby misleading his pursuers. Thanks to this method of movement, the animal manages to escape from the predators pursuing it.

Many are interested in the question of whether hares can swim. Surprisingly, although these animals do not like water and most often stay away from it, they are good swimmers. The hare is practically a voiceless animal and even in the mating season only occasionally gives a voice. Only in case of injury, the hare screams loudly, the sound resembles the cry of a baby.

Nutrition

The diet of a brown hare in summer and winter varies significantly. What he eats depends on the habitat, season and weather conditions.

With the onset of summer, the hare's diet becomes more diverse. The animal eats more than 500 species of plants, preferring their green part. He is not averse to eating vegetables, melons, fruits. All this animals are mined in agricultural fields or raiding gardens and orchards.

Consider what the hare eats with the onset of autumn. From this period of time, the diet of animals is increasingly composed of solid food. The main diet is shrub branches, withered grass, and various roots.

With the advent of winter, especially in those regions where it falls a large number of snow, it becomes more difficult for animals to get food. After all, a high level of snow cover can completely cover all the food that hares eat in winter. Fleeing from hunger, eared are getting closer to settlements. Significantly improve their quality of life in the harsh winters of haystacks, berries and fruits left on the bushes, fruits that have been lying on the ground since autumn (they will dig them out from under the snow). Most of the diet at this time is tree bark. For this, hares choose the following trees: willow, aspen, birch and other softwood trees. Being at this time near settlements or orchards, they are capable of causing great damage to gardening, as they almost completely gnaw the bark of fruit trees.

With the advent of spring, the food base of the animals becomes more diverse due to young shoots, fresh grass, and buds. To compensate for the deficiency of nutrients, the hare eats earth, animal bones, and small pebbles.

reproduction

It should be said that hares prefer to live not in packs, but one by one, they unite only during the rut. The start of mating depends on weather conditions. In the event that the winter is warm enough, mating can begin as early as January, after frosty winters - at the very beginning of spring (March). The behavior of the animals during the mating season is interesting - they begin to tap a certain rhythm with their front paws on the surface of the earth. At this time, males try in every possible way to attract the attention of females, fighting for this in spectacular fights.

The young are ready for mating at the age of 12 months. Pregnancy terms can range from 41-42 to 48-51 days. Most females give about 5 litters per year, each with an average of 1 to 9 cubs, but most often 2-5 cubs.

Unlike baby rabbits, who are born naked and blind, little hares are born with a fur coat and sighted. Their birth weight is 80-150 grams. The first few days they lie quietly, hiding in a mink. Surprisingly, the female leaves the babies alone almost immediately after giving birth and only occasionally returns to feed them. However, in view of the fact that the offspring of all hares appears at the same time, each female passing by hungry cubs will certainly feed them. This behavior is quite understandable. Babies do not have a smell, unlike adult animals, the less time the mother is near the cubs, the more likely the latter are not to become prey to predators. Due to the fact that rabbit milk is highly nutritious (it contains up to 24% fat and 12% protein) and an early transition to green food, a three-month-old hare is difficult to distinguish from an adult. How long does a hare live? On average, the life expectancy of this animal is 6-7 years, in exceptional cases up to 12 years.

Rusaki in foreign countries

Hares of this species are widespread in the following countries: North America, Canada, South America, New Zealand, Australia and Oceania. Their population is growing steadily. Currently, the hare has the status of a commercial animal. It is an object of sports and amateur hunting. In some countries, hares are exterminated as pests - due to the fact that they cause irreparable harm to agriculture: they damage winter crops, fruit trees (up to 15 plantings can be gnawed in one night).

The hare is one of those animals that are carriers of brucellosis, tularemia, coccidiosis, pastelerrez.

Hunting

In our country, hunting for hares is very popular. It is an object of sport hunting, as well as fur trade. Production is mainly carried out because of the nutritious, unusually tasty meat and beautiful fur. The hunting period begins in October before the first snowfalls and continues throughout the winter. In nature, in addition to hunters, the eared have many other enemies. The hare is the prey of birds of prey; wolves, coyotes, lynxes, foxes prey on it. Even magpies attack small rabbits. It is possible to preserve the population of the brown hare due to the fact that they are very prolific.

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 the Far East, the 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 settled life and migrates only in case of severe deterioration of weather conditions or with an acute shortage 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 the Astrakhan region, in Buryatia and in the Chui steppe.

Belyak

Description of the white hare: it's pretty major representative 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 pure white. 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 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 settled way of life, 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 in summer gray color 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, he chooses open spaces for life, 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 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 level snow is able to 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 lack of 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, the rut can begin in January, and after frosty winters - in early 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

Hares live throughout Russia, in forests, steppes, swamps. hare not uncommon to meet near cities in forest belts and garden plots. In winter, snow in such places is usually full of hare tracks.

Hare for a person. In the past, when people were forced to survive in the wild, the Hare served as both food and clothing for humans. Today, thanks to technological progress, it is no longer necessary to kill animals in order to eat them and dress in the skin of a corpse.

Therefore, a person begins to look at a hare with different eyes. What happiness and delight it is for children born within the city walls to meet a real wild Hare, as if jumping out of the pages of children's fairy tales, and running away into mysterious forest.

Now, in people who follow the path of evolution, instead of the desire to kill, devour, pull on a gutted skin, I see in the eyes joy of meeting. After all, these are our smaller brothers. So, about hares.

Hares living in Russia: European Hare, White Hare, Tolai Hare, Manchurian Hare.

What does a hare look like?

What the Hare looks like, I think everyone has an idea. I will only clarify: the size of the Hare is 45-70 cm, long pointed ears, the color is gray-brown, white - depending on the season. Molting occurs in spring and autumn, which allows the Hare to successfully camouflage.

Hare lifestyle

The hare feeds on woody vegetation in winter, especially in the second half of winter. The role of tree fodder in the nutrition of hares in different years varies and increases with increasing snow depth and the onset of dry summer weather. In snowy winters, when vegetation becomes inaccessible for Hares, starvation of these animals is noted, leading to their death. Hares lose weight, become emaciated and may freeze. In this case, severe frosts and ice are especially detrimental. In winter, the Hare willingly eats berries and seeds of shrubs - hawthorn, wild rose, blackthorn.

Winter feeding conditions play a decisive role in the nutrition of the Brown Hare. It is during this period, especially in the second half of winter, that Hares can cause damage to forest plantations and gardens.

Hares breeding

Despite all the protections most Hares rarely manage to survive in wild nature more than 1-2 years. Therefore, the Hares are faced with the task of leaving as many offspring as possible.

Hares and rabbits in warm climates are able to bring up to 5 litters per year, 2-8 cubs each. TO breeding hares start at 1 year of age.

After 6-7 weeks of pregnancy hare brings 2-5, sometimes up to 9 Rabbits, which are born pubescent, sighted and weigh up to 130 g at birth. Already at the end of the first week Bunnies start eating grass. Bunnies are growing fast. Their rapid growth is due to the high nutritional value of the Hare's milk, which contains up to 24% fat and 12% squirrel. A single serving of milk, which is 40 g, is enough for the Hare for 3-4 days, since it is digested for a long time in the stomach. This allows the Rabbits to lie motionless in one place, without betraying their presence to predators.

hare footprints

During the winter hare footprints in the snow easy to spot, but summer time, because of the dense vegetation, they are almost noticeable. Only on the paths along which the Hares run at dusk, you can see the traces of their claws. Hare footprints are among the most visible in winter forest because they have a characteristic shape.