One of the 8 hares on WAnimals
Mammals · Lagomorpha · Leporidae
Antelope Jackrabbit
Lepus alleni
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
The antelope jackrabbit is a species of North American hare that lives in southern Arizona and north-western Mexico. Within this range, it occupies dry desert areas. This species is placed in the family Leporidae, which is within the order Lagomorpha. Male and female antelope jackrabbits are identical in appearance. This species is large with long, pointed ears and a distinctive coat colouring. The antelope jackrabbit has a white belly, pale grey sides, a back flecked with black and an orange colouring on the neck and breast. It is similar to species such as the black-tailed jackrabbit and the white-sided jackrabbit. It is most active at dusk (crepuscular) and at night, but can be active during the day when conditions are favourable. It feeds on cactus, mesquite leaves and other vegetation.
Weight
2.7 kg – 5.9 kg
Size
55 cm – 67 cm
Lifespan
5 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- Its ears work as radiators: by dilating the blood vessels it sheds heat by radiation towards the sky, a cooling mechanism that costs it not a drop of water.
- When it flees it raises and shows its white flank on alternate sides, a signal similar to the pronghorn's, and that is where its name of antelope jackrabbit comes from.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Scrub deserts and arid grassland of the south-western United States and north-western Mexico
- Gestation / incubation
- 42 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 2
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepus_alleni
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 14 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Antelope Jackrabbit — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus californicus
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Neotoma cinerea
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys ordii
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