RABBITS AND HARES, common name for members of the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, which also contains the pikas. Although the common names rabbit and hare are often used interchangeably, in zoological classification the species called rabbits are characterized by their offspring that are born naked and blind, and by their habit of living in colonies in underground burrows. In contrast, species designated zoologically as hares are born furred and with vision, and the adults build a simple nest and rarely live socially. The hare is also generally larger than the rabbit and has longer ears with characteristic black markings. Moreover, the skulls of rabbits and hares are distinctly different.
Distributed throughout the world, hares and rabbits have many common characteristics. Both species breed prolifically, bearing four to eight litters a year, with three to eight young in each litter, have a period of gestation lasting about a month, reach sexual maturity in about six months, and have a life span of about ten years. These animals, which weigh from about 1 to 5 kg (about 2 to 11 lb) and attain a length of about 30 to 60 cm (about 12 to 24 in), feed mainly on herbs, tree bark, and vegetables. They prefer to live in regions where the soil is loose and dry and where brushwood offers shelter. Although rabbits and hares are valued as game by hunters, as food, and for their fur, they often are pests to farmers whose trees and crops they destroy. They are also captivated as pets.