It is common practice to use the terms “rabbit” and “hare” interchangeably, which can lead to confusion. For instance, jackrabbits are in fact hares, whereas rockhares and hispid hares are rabbits. Size, life history, and preferred habitat all distinguish hares from rabbits. Compared to hares, rabbits are typically smaller and have shorter ears.

After a 30-31-day gestation period, they are born without fur and with their eyes closed. They live in burrows dug into the soil and prefer habitats made up of trees and shrubs. Hares, on the other hand, are larger animals with open eyes and fur at birth after a gestation period of approximately 42 days. They build their nests in small, open depressions in open areas like prairies, which are their preferred habitat.

Rabbits are ground-dwelling animals that can be found in desert, tropical forest, and wetlands. The middle latitudes make up their natural range in the Western Hemisphere. Rabbits can be found in Europe, parts of Central and Southern Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Sumatra, and Japan in the Eastern Hemisphere.

All domestic rabbit breeds are derived from the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which has been introduced to numerous locations around the world. The extinction of nearly half of the world’s rabbit species is imminent; Among mammals, many are among the most vulnerable.