Hare are mammals belonging to the genus Lepus. They are herbivores and live solitarily or in pairs. Hares are the most widespread lagomorph genus, occupying most of North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young can fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears to dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a “leveret”. A group of hares is called a “husk”, a “down” or a “drove”.
Hares are swift animals and can run up to 80 km/h (50 mph) over short distances. Over longer distances, the European hare can run up to 55 km/h. The five species of jackrabbits found in central and western North America can run at 65 km/h over longer distances and can leap up to 3 m at a time.
Normally a shy animal, the hare changes its behaviour in spring, when it can be seen in the daytime chasing other hares. This appears to be competition between males to attain dominance for breeding. During this spring frenzy, animals of both sexes can be seen “boxing”, one hare striking another with its paws. This behaviour gives rise to the idiom “mad as a March hare”. This is present not only in intermale competition but also among females toward males to prevent copulation.
Hares are generally larger than rabbits, with longer ears, and have black markings on their fur. Hares, like all leporids, have jointed, or kinetic, skulls, unique among mammals. They have 48 chromosomes, while rabbits have 44. Hares have not been domesticated, while some rabbits are raised for food and kept as pets. In general, hares have longer ears and longer hind feet than rabbits. While the tail is relatively short, it is longer than that of rabbits. Hares are the largest lagomorphs. Depending on the species, the body is about 40–70 cm long, with feet up to 15 cm long and ears up to 20 cm which helps dissipate excess body heat. Although usually grey-brown throughout the year, hares living in northern latitudes may turn white in winter.
Most Lepus species have very high rates of reproduction, with multiple large litters being produced each year. Young hares are typically born fully furred and with their eyes open and can hop a few minutes after birth. Throughout their range, hares are important in the diets of various carnivorous birds, mammals, and reptiles.
The hare in African folk tales is a trickster; some of the stories about the hare were retold among enslaved Africans in America, and are the basis of the Br’er Rabbit stories.
The hare appears in English folklore in the saying “as mad as a March hare” and in the legend of the White Hare that alternatively tells of a witch who takes the form of a white hare and goes out looking for prey at night
Many cultures, including the Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican, see a hare in the pattern of dark patches on the moon. The constellation Lepus is also taken to represent a hare.
The hare was once regarded as an animal sacred to Aphrodite and Eros because of its high libido. Live hares were often presented as a gift of love.
In European tradition, the hare symbolises the two qualities of swiftness and timidity. The blood of a freshly killed hare can be collected for consumption in a stew or casserole in a cooking process known as jugging.
