Examples of animals like rabbits include hares, pikas, cottontails, and vizcacha.
There are many animals that share rabbit-like features, such as long ears, big eyes, and a fluffy tail.
Most people know that rabbits are a type of animal, but did you know that there are animals out there that look very similar to rabbits?
In this blog post, we will take a look at some of these animals and discuss the similarities and differences between them.
Examples of Animals Like Rabbits
Examples of Animals Like Rabbits
1. African Savanna Hare
1. African Savanna Hare
Scientific NameLepus microtisType of AnimalMammalRangethroughout Africa in grasslands and wooded savannas
The African savanna hare is a type of rabbit that is found in Africa.
They are similar to rabbits in that they have long ears, big eyes, and fluffy tails.
The main difference between the two is that the African savanna hare is much larger than a regular rabbit.
African savanna hares are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants.
African savanna hares are prey for many predators, such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
African savanna hares are social animals and live in groups called warrens.
A warren can have up to 50 hares in it.
The hares in a warren stay together for their whole lives.
2. Alaskan Hare
2. Alaskan Hare
Scientific NameLepus othusType of AnimalMammalRangewestern Alaska
The Alaskan hare looks very similar to a rabbit, but it is actually a member of the deer family.
The Alaskan hare is bigger than a rabbit and has longer legs.
It also has fur that is darker in color, usually brown or black.
The Alaskan hare is a very good swimmer and can often be seen swimming in the ocean.
The Alaskan hare is found in the forests of Alaska.
It is a very shy animal and is seldom seen by people.
Scientific NameOchotona princepsType of AnimalMammalRangemountainous regions throughout the western United States and Canada
The American pika is a small, rabbit-like mammal that is found in the mountains of western North America.
These cute little animals are about the size of a tennis ball, and they have round, furry ears, big eyes, and a short tail.
Pikas are generally brown or gray in color, and they live in rocky areas where they eat plants and small insects.
Scientific NameLepus arcticusType of AnimalMammalRangeNorthern Canada, usually above the tree line and some islands off Greenland
The arctic hare is a type of rabbit that is found in the Arctic tundra.
Arctic hares are also very good at digging and can make their own burrows to live in.
One of the most notable features of the arctic hare is its white fur.
This helps it to blend in with its snowy surroundings and makes it difficult for predators to spot.
Scientific NameLepus castroviejoiType of AnimalMammalRangethe Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain between the Serra dos Ancares and the Sierra de Peña Labra
The broom hare is a type of rabbit that is found in Africa.
These rabbits are characterized by their long, black-tipped ears and their reddish-brown fur.
They are also known for being very shy and timid animals.
The broom hare is a nocturnal creature, meaning that it is most active at night.
During the day, they will hide in their burrows to avoid predators.
Despite their timid nature, broom hares are actually quite curious creatures.
6. Cape Hare
6. Cape Hare
Scientific NameLepus capensisType of AnimalMammalRangeAfrica and Arabia extending into India
The Cape hare is a species of hare that is found in Africa.
This animal has long ears, big eyes, and a fluffy tail, just like a rabbit.
The main difference between the two is that the Cape hare is much larger than a rabbit, weighing up to 7 pounds.
The Cape hare is a nocturnal creature, meaning that it is most active at night.
This hare is also a very good swimmer and can even dive underwater to escape predators.
The Cape hare is an important part of the African ecosystem, as it is a source of food for many predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas.
This small mammal is found in Asia and North America.
It has a body shape that is similar to a rabbit, but it does not have a tail.
The collared pika also has short legs and large ears.
One of the most notable differences between the collared pika and a rabbit is that the collared pika does not hop.
This is likely due to the fact that the collared pika lives in rocky areas where hopping would be difficult.
Scientific NameLepus corsicanusType of AnimalMammalRangesouthern and central Italy and Corsica
The Corsican Hare is a species of rabbit that is native to the island of Corsica.
This hare has brown fur with white spots, and it is slightly larger than a typical rabbit.
The Corsican Hare is also known to be more aggressive than other types of rabbits.
This hare is nocturnal, meaning it is most active at night.
At night, it will come out to feed on grasses and other plants.
The Corsican Hare is not considered to be a threatened species, but its numbers have been declining in recent years.
Scientific NameSylvilagusType of AnimalMammalRangefrom extreme southern Canada south to South America
Cottontails are a type of rabbit that is found in North America.
They get their name from the white fur on their tails.
Cottontails are small animals, and they have brown or grey fur.
They have long ears, and their eyes are big and round.
Cottontails are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants.
They like to eat grass, clover, and other green plants.
Cottontails are also known for digging burrows in the ground.
These burrows are used for shelter and protection from predators.
Scientific NameLepus europaeusType of AnimalMammalRangemuch of continental Europe and part of Asia
The European hare is a species of hare that is native to Europe and parts of Asia.
These hares are larger than rabbits, and they have longer hind legs which help them to run faster.
Their fur is also typically brown or gray in color, whereas rabbits tend to be more reddish or brown.
Scientific NameLepus granatensisType of AnimalMammalRangethe Iberian Peninsula
The Granada hare is a species of hare that is found in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain.
These animals are brown in color and have long ears like rabbits.
Scientific NameLepus nigricollisType of AnimalMammalRangesouthern India
The Indian Hare is found in many parts of India and Sri Lanka.
They have long ears, just like rabbits, and their diet consists mostly of grass.
These animals are also generally nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night.
One difference between the Indian Hare and a rabbit is that the Indian Hare has black fur on the tips of its ears.
Another difference is that Indian Hares live in pairs or alone, whereas rabbits live in groups called warrens.
Mountain Hare
Mountain Hare
Scientific NameLepus timidusType of AnimalMammalRangeScotland and the north of England
The mountain hare is a member of the leporidae family, which includes rabbits and hares.
They are found in mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Mountain hares have long hind legs that help them escape predators, as well as thick fur that keeps them warm in cold climates.
The biggest difference between mountain hares and rabbits is their size; mountain hares are much larger than rabbits.
They also have different colored fur; while most rabbits have brown or gray fur, mountain hares can be white, brown, or black.
Scientific NameOchotona hyperboreaType of AnimalMammalRangenorthern Asia, from the Ural Mountains
The northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea) is a small mammal that is found in the mountainous regions of Asia and North America.
These animals are very similar in appearance to rabbits, with their small body size, round ears, and short legs.
However, pikas do not have tails, and their fur is much thicker than that of rabbits.
Scientific NameOchotona pallasiType of AnimalMammalRangewestern Mongolia
The Pallas’s pika (Ochotona pallasi) is a small mammal that is found in the mountainous regions of China and Mongolia.
These animals are very similar in appearance to rabbits, with their long ears, big eyes, and furry bodies.
Pallas’s pikas are herbivores, and their diet consists mainly of grasses and other plants.
These animals live in burrows, and they typically mate in the springtime.
Scientific NameOchotona curzoniaeType of AnimalMammalRangeTibetan Plateau
The Plateau Pika is a type of rabbit that is found in the mountains of central China.
These animals are small, only growing to be about 8-10 inches long.
They have brown fur and a white underbelly.
Their diet consists mostly of plants and grasses.
Scientific NameLepus saxatilisType of AnimalMammalRangesouthern Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho
The scrub hare is a type of rabbit that is found in Africa.
This animal has long ears, big eyes, and a fluffy tail.
The main difference between a scrub hare and a rabbit is the size of their feet.
Scrub hares have much larger feet than rabbits, which helps them to travel long distances quickly.
Snowshoe Hare
Snowshoe Hare
Scientific NameLepus americanusType of AnimalMammalRangethroughout much of Canada and even as far north as Alaska
The snowshoe hare is a rabbit that is found in North America.
The snowshoe hare has long ears, big eyes, and a fluffy tail, just like a regular rabbit.
The main difference between the two is that the snowshoe hare is larger than a regular rabbit, and it has a coat of fur that changes color depending on the season.
In the winter, the snowshoe hare’s fur is white, which helps it blend in with the snow.
In the summer, the fur turns brown, which helps the hare blend in with the leaves and dirt.
It has long ears, big eyes, and a fluffy tail, just like a rabbit.
The main difference between the two animals is that the vizcacha is much larger, measuring up to 3 feet in length.
There are many different types of animals that look like rabbits.
Some of the most well-known include the pika, the hare, and the cottontail rabbit.
While they may look similar, these animals are actually very different from each other in terms of size, habitat, and diet.
Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal.
In the wild, rabbits have plenty to keep them occupied, from foraging to reproduction to territorial defence.
Captive rabbits, on the other hand, often lack stimulation, which can lead to behavioural problems and poor health.
European rabbits are burrowers and live in underground tunnel networks called warrens.
Their whiskers are the same width as their body and are used to determine whether they will fit through a hole, which stops them from getting stuck in tunnels.When pet rabbits are happy they may jump in the air turning and twisting their bodies, a behaviour known as a binky.What do rabbits look like?Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae.
They have long ears, up to 3 in (7.5 cm) long, and powerful hind legs.
They range in size from 13–20 in (34–50 cm) in length and weigh between 2.4 and 5.5 lb (1.1–2.5 kg).(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Wild rabbitsWhere do wild rabbits live?Wild rabbits live in areas where they can dig burrows.
They are native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa but have also been introduced in other locations as well.Where do rabbits sleep?In the wild, rabbits live in warrens comprising an intricate series of underground tunnels or burrows with multiple entrances.Are rabbits sociable?Rabbits are sociable animals that live with other individuals in warrens.
They get the best burrows, first dibs on food and can request grooming from other rabbits.How high can a rabbit jump?Rabbits have extremely strong hind limbs which allow them to leap great distances.
Rabbits can leap up to 9 ft (2.7 m) horizontally.How do wild rabbits detect predators?Rabbits are prey animals.
When out of the burrow, they are constantly on the lookout for predators, such as foxes.
Once they detect a danger they can signal to others by thumping their hind legs, before seeking the shelter of the burrow.
Therefore, they have good hearing, and sight, and an excellent sense of smell.They have nearly 360° panoramic vision, allowing them to detect predators from all directions; they can see everything behind them and only have a small blind-spot in front of their nose.
Whilst their vision is good, their sense of smell is better, and they will likely be able to smell a predator before they see them.Rabbits hear in a similar range to humans, but they can detect higher frequency sounds than we can.
Rabbit ears can move independently of each other, a feature which is used by rabbits to help work out where a sound is coming from.ShareCaptive rabbitsEuropean rabbits have been domesticated since the Middle ages.
They are a big commitment, however, and many factors need to be considered before taking on the responsibility.How much space do my rabbits need?The answer is as much as you can possibly give them.
Rabbits are active animals that need space to be able to run, jump, and dig.
They need to be able to stand up fully on their hind legs and stretch out fully when lying down.Rabbits are prey animals and will feel exposed and threatened without protection, so they require shelter and plenty of hiding places.Does my rabbit need company?In the wild, rabbits are social animals – a trait that has stayed with them during the domestication process.
A lone rabbit will likely get lonely and bored, so they should be kept in pairs or groups.What should I feed my rabbits?Rabbits need an appropriate diet to remain healthy.
Fibre, in the form of hay and grass, is the most vital food for rabbits – it’s essential for their digestive health, and should be supplied always.
Rabbit pellets should also be fed daily, and diet should be supplemented with vegetables and some fruits.How do I stop my rabbits getting bored?In the wild, rabbits have plenty to keep them occupied, from foraging, and reproduction to territorial defence.
Captive rabbits, on the other hand, often lack stimulation, which can lead to behavioural problems and poor health.Much like humans, they need to be kept physically and mentally active.
A rabbit’s natural environment can be imitated by providing enrichment such as tunnels and platforms for climbing, tree stumps, twigs, suitable toys, and places to hide such as cardboard boxes.Digging is an innate and favourite pastime of rabbits, both wild and domesticated.
By providing digging substitutes, such as a sand or earth pit, your rabbit will be able to dig away without damaging your garden or escaping.Just like humans, rabbits become bored if their environments remain the same, so they will benefit from variety and the occasional change of scenery.
A wild rabbit’s survival depends on an intimate knowledge of its surroundings in order to escape from predators.
Structural changes to the “warren” of a rabbit kept as a pet should be kept subtle, such as changing their toys and regularly providing new ones.(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Share
Find more animals like thisBurrowingCrepuscularExcellent hearingExcellent jumperExcellent sense of smellExcellent visionHerbivoreSocial
Quick FactsType: MammalDiet: HerbivoreLifespan: 1–3 years (wild); 7–10 years (captive)Size: 8–20 inWeight: 0.8 and 4.4 lbHabitat: Meadows, woodland, forests, grasslands, deserts and wetlandsRange: North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America