rabbit | Description, Species | 台北市立動物園資訊網

Rabbit,anyof29speciesoflong-earedmammalsbelongingtothefamily...inthefamilyLeporidaewhosecharacteristicsareintermediatebetweenharesand ...

rabbit, any of 29 species[1] of long-eared mammals[2] belonging to the family Leporidae, excluding[3] hares[4] (genus Lepus).

Frequently the terms rabbit and hare[5] are used interchangeably, a practice that can cause confusion. Jackrabbits[6], for instance, are actually hares, whereas the rockhares[7] and the hispid hare[8] are rabbits. Rabbits differ from hares in size, life history, and preferred habitat. In general, rabbits are smaller and have shorter ears than hares. They are born without fur[9] and with closed eyes after a gestation[10] period of 30–31 days. They prefer habitats composed of trees and shrubs, where they live in burrows dug into the soil[11]. Hares, in contrast, are larger in size, and they are born fully developed with fur and open eyes after a gestation period lasting about 42 days. They prefer open areas such as pra...