10/16/2026
The star of today’s Flora, Fauna, Fungi Friday is the white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)! The white-tailed jackrabbit is the largest species of jackrabbit in North America. Despite the “rabbit” in their name, they’re actually true hares, not rabbits! Common names can be confusing, because white-tailed jackrabbits are hares, whereas some “hares” (.e. rock hares and hispid hares) are rabbits! Among some other differences, hares are larger and are born with fur and open eyes, while rabbits are smaller and are born blind, hairless, and helpless. Rabbits are typically hiders, while hares are runners. If you see a bundle of fur with long ears appearing to be galloping across a field, it’s more likely a hare than a rabbit! White-tailed jackrabbits are brown and grey-ish brown with big black-tipped ears and, as their name suggests, white tails. In the autumn leading into winter, they molt and become white everywhere but the tips of their ears.
White-tailed jackrabbit babies, called leverets, are completely scentless (known as “odor camouflage" or “olfactory camouflage”) until around 4 weeks of age. Due to this natural camouflage, mothers will often leave their young in the nest to forage and avoid attracting predators. If you happen to stumble across a hare nest, it’s important to leave it be and avoid disturbing or touching the leverets. Many people will fear that the young have been abandoned and want to intervene, but that’s not necessarily true! Stick to the mantra, “if you see a baby hare, leave it there”, as the mother is most likely to return and continue caring for them. In the rare occasion that the leverets are in distress or in a dangerous situation, avoid handling them and contact a wildlife rehabilitation professional. 📷: Gerald Romanchuk
