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Hares live throughout the Earth, with the exception of the cold inhospitable Antarctica. These animals live on almost all continents, and they are in North America. In the prairies and savannahs of the United States they live as many as six species. One of them, the American hare, will be discussed.
Description
The black-tailed (also called American hare or leather rabbit) hare, like all relatives of other species, has long ears. Endowed with powerful hind limbs, whose feet are covered with a thick layer of fur. This species is the largest living species on the mainland. Body length - 47-64 centimeters, weighs from one and a half to three kilograms. The females are slightly larger, but no longer distinguished by anything. The black tail is 5 to 10 centimeters long. The body above is brown or grayish-brown in color, the belly is whitish. A dark stripe runs along the back.
The biggest difference between the black-tailed hare is the ears. Not very long (about 13 centimeters), but quite wide. Their width allows you to dump excess heat into the surrounding air and not overheat.
Spread
Lifestyle
It is active at night and shortly before dawn. He spends the day resting in the shade of the bushes. According to the lifestyle - a loner, does not form a pack. Together can be collected only during feeding.
The masking body color and the ability to run fast rescues from predators of hares (speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour). Among other advantages of the American hare is the ability to jump from a place, being on its hind legs, six meters.
Although they run at an enviable speed, they do not need migrations - they live constantly in one place. So, many caught and released after animals after 2 years were caught in the same area, only 500-600 meters north or south.
Nutrition
Black-tailed hares feed exclusively on plant foods. They eat herbs, leaves, buds, flowers - in general, all the components of plants. When the green part is not enough, they begin to eat branches and bark of trees. Do not pass by cacti, gladly eating them. Spikes growing in the desert are eaten. Since American hares constantly feel the need for an influx of vitamins and minerals from plant foods, animals eat non-stop, interrupting the process only during sleep. A rabbit eats a lot in relation to its small body weight - about 20 kilograms of food per day.
This type of hare does not need water - they get all the necessary moisture from green plants destroyed per day.
Breeding
Breeding season is very long - in Arizona begins in December and lasts until September, and in the southern regions (California, Kansas) it lasts from early January until August. The hare gives birth quite often - three times, and sometimes four times a year. Pregnancy lasts 41-48 days, up to six small rabbits are born, most often three or four. Babies are born already covered with hair and with open sighted eyes. Mother takes care of the offspring for three or four days, feeds, and then leaves the children, and they begin to continue life on their own.
Number
American hare and man
Due to its wide distribution, the black-tailed hare is in the first place among similar wrecking individuals. It harms not only in forests and fields, but also in man-owned gardens and cultivated gardens. He is often hunted, especially by the Indians. The main interest among hunters is meat. Fur is of little interest to anyone, because it is not sock and very quickly becomes unusable. A rabbit skin is made and used in the haberdashery industry.
Life span
In captivity, the black-tailed hare lives about 5-6 years, and in the wild, this period is shorter - many animals die, becoming a victim of hunters, predators, diseases, or for other reasons.
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