Ubiquitous in the British countryside, rabbits have been one of our most successful imports, with large populations in the wild as well as domesticated rabbits being one of the UK's favourite pets. Its cousins, hares, are less prolific and certainly more shy. It's a characteristic sign of spring to see them out in the wild, boxing in late February and March. Rabbits and hares are known collectively as Lagomorphs. But how do you tell the difference?
Here we explain how to identify both animals, when and where in the UK to see rabbits and hares, and the key differences between the two species.
What is the difference between a rabbit and a hare?
Hares are much larger than rabbits, weighing up to 4kg while a large rabbit is half that weight.
Rabbits are small, highly sociable, and dwell in extensive underground warrens in colonies of several dozen animals with strict hierarchies and social groups. They are rounder, an easier fit for life in a burrow, and move with a scurrying hop that lacks the leggy purposefulness of their open air-living cousin’s angular kicks.
The hare’s ears – all 10cm of them, tipped with vivid black as if drawn with a cartoonist’s Sharpie pen – are an unmistakable trademark. Rabbits’ eyes are dark while hares have amber- (or topaz) coloured irises.
Can hares mate with rabbits?
As hares and rabbits are two different species so no it is not possible for them to mate and breed.
