Lepus is a constellation lying just south of the celestial equator. Its name is Latin for hare. It is located below—immediately south—of Orion, and is sometimes represented as a hare being chased by Orion or by Orion's hunting dogs.
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus Lepus. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears that dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". A group of hares is called a "husk", a "down", or a "drove".
Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 70 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word Leporidae means "those that resemble lepus" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order Lagomorpha. Leporidae differ from pikas in that they have short, furry tails and elongated ears and hind legs.
The Arctic hare is a species of hare highly adapted to living in the Arctic tundra and other icy biomes. The Arctic hare survives with shortened ears and limbs, a small nose, fat that makes up close to 20% of its body, and a thick coat of fur. It usually digs holes in the ground or under the snow to keep warm and to sleep. Arctic hares look like rabbits but have shorter ears, are taller when standing, and, unlike rabbits, can thrive in extreme cold. They can travel together with many other hares, sometimes huddling with dozens or more, but are usually found alone, sometimes taking more than one partner. The Arctic hare can run up to 60 kilometres per hour (40 mph).
The European hare, also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly on grasses and herbs, supplementing these with twigs, buds, bark and field crops, particularly in winter. Their natural predators include large birds of prey, canids and felids. They rely on high-speed endurance running to escape predation, having long, powerful limbs and large nostrils.
The Cape hare, also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.
Jameson's red rock hare is a species of rabbit in the family Leporidae found in rocky habitats within Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique. It is a rufous and brown-furred nocturnal rabbit that is slightly smaller than the largest of the red rock hare species.
The Indian hare, also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java. Its habitat in Java is in rocky highlands.
The Korean hare is a species of hare native to the Korean Peninsula and adjoining parts of northeastern China. The Korean hare inhabits diverse habitats within its range, from remote mountain forests to cultivated land. Fur colour varies slightly among individuals, but is generally some shade of liver brown.
The Manchurian hare is a species of hare found in northeastern China and Russia, the Amur River basin, and the higher mountains of northern North Korea. It lives in forests and the IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Yarkand hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, straight, sandy brown dorsal pelage which has grayish-black stripes, and completely white ventral pelage. Endemic to China, the Yarkand hare is restricted to the Tarim Basin in Southern Xinjiang, China. It is mainly nocturnal, and forages on grass and crops. The female produces two or three litters annually, each consisting of two to five young. It is rated as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species and by the Red List of China's Vertebrates. However, Chinese geneticists have stated the species is "endangered" due to limited habitat and its fragmentation, and over-hunting and poaching.
The Natal red rock hare or greater red rock hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has a slightly grizzled, grayish brown head and reddish brown upperparts. The dense fur is thick and rougher than other rock hares. It is endemic to Africa, and found in southeastern provinces of South Africa, eastern Lesotho, Eswatini, and southern Mozambique. It is a herbivore, primarily feeding on grass. It breeds throughout the year, and one or two pups are usually born in the summer. It is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
The red rock hares are the four species in the genus Pronolagus. They are lagomorphs of the family Leporidae living in rocky habitats across Africa. Three species are restricted to Southern Africa, while one—Smith's red rock hare —is found as far north as Kenya. The red rock hares are rufous, dark brown, or reddish-brown-tailed rabbits that vary in size, with some shared physical characteristics being short ears and a lack of an interpareital bone. They have 42 chromosomes and are active during the night, feeding only on plants. Breeding results in litters of one to two altricial young.
Smith's red rockhare, Smith's red rock hare or Smith's red rock rabbit is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae, and is the smallest member of the genus Pronolagus. The upperparts and gular collar are reddish brown in colour. It has warm, brown, grizzled, thicker hairs at the back of the body, and white to tawny, thinner underfur. It is native to Africa, found in parts of Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a folivore, and usually forages on grasses, shrubs and herbs. It breeds from September to February, and the female litters one or two offspring. The young leave the nest at three years of age. In 1996, it was rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
Hewitt's red rock hare is a species of rabbit in the family Leporidae found in South Africa, Eswatini, and Lesotho. It is a medium-sized, densely-furred rufous and brown rabbit that behaves similarly to other red rock hares, with a preference for higher elevated rocky habitats. Previously classified as a subspecies of Smith's red rock hare, it is now regarded as its own species.
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