It turns out that not all hares are the same. The hare and the hare are so different from each other that it is even surprising how some people manage to confuse them. However, the problem is common. Understanding the differences will be useful not only for amateurs wildlife, but also to hunters, rangers, forest workers, and just young naturalists. Ability to recognize characteristic differences of these animals will also be useful to those who study the habits of these animals, and they differ greatly.
White man and hare - who are they?
It is worth considering each representative of these species separately in order to understand the main differences at an early stage.
White hare- a fairly large animal, can reach a body length of up to 60 centimeters, weight from 1.6 to 4.5 kilograms. The usual habitat is northern Europe. In Russia, it is mainly distributed in the north up to and including the tundra zone. Considered to be a forest dweller. The ears are long, but not as long as those of his relative the hare. Solid white tail, short and rounded, wide paws. In winter it is pure white, except for the tips of the ears, and in summer it is grayish or reddish.
White hare
Brown hare- also large (57–68 centimeters, weight up to 7 kilograms), often larger than a white hare. Lives in Western and Minor Asia, Europe, North Africa. In Russia it is found within the European and northern parts. Considered a resident of the steppes, fields, and meadows. Has a fragile build long ears, the tail is wedge-shaped, black or black-brown on top.
Brown hare Main differences
As already mentioned, the first thing you should pay attention to when identifying an animal is the size of the ears. The hare's are shorter, and the hare's are longer.
Also hind limbs the hare is slightly longer than that of his brother. The length of the foot can reach 18.5 centimeters. This provides him with more fast run than that of the white hare. But the latter has wider feet in order to stay on the snow.
The difficulty in distinguishing one from the other arises in summer time, when both have gray color. However anatomical features it will not be possible to disguise it, so an experienced observer will always be able to recognize who is the real white hare and who is the hare.
The peculiarity of the hare's diet is that if a deep snow cover, it can move onto bark and bushes. Moreover, there is maple, oak, hazel, and broom wood. But willow and aspen are not so favored. While the latter are the hare’s favorite delicacies.
Conclusions website
- The hare is often larger in size than the hare.
- The hare's ears are noticeably smaller than those of the hare and have black dots at the tips.
- The hare is more slender and sinewy, while the hare is more streamlined.
- The hare's hind limbs are longer and he runs faster, while the hare is slower.
- The hare has wider paws so as not to fall through in the snow, but the hare cannot boast of this.
- Willow and aspen are the hare's favorite delicacies, but the hare does not really like them.
Hares are perhaps the most common animals in our country. Despite the fact that they are a favorite trophy of many hunters, their numbers are practically unchanged, since due to their fertility, these animals reproduce very actively.
There are about 30 species in total, all types of hares are slightly different external features and habits.
Appearance
If you take general description hare (mammal, hare family), then it should be noted that all species have similar features:
- long ears;
- underdeveloped collarbones;
- long and strong hind legs;
- short fluffy tail.
Females are larger than males, the size of animals ranges from 25 to 74 cm, and weight reaches 10 kg.
Thanks to its long hind legs, this animal is able to run fast and jump. The running speed of a brown hare, for example, can reach 70 km/h.
Shedding
These animals molt twice a year, in autumn and spring. The onset and timing of molting are related to external conditions. Molting begins with changes in duration daylight hours, and its duration is determined by air temperature.
Spring molting in most species begins in late winter - early spring and lasts on average 75-80 days. The animal begins to shed from the head to the lower extremities.
Autumn molt On the contrary, it begins from the back of the body and moves to the head. It usually begins in September, and molting ends by the end of November. Winter fur grows thicker and more lush, it protects the animal from the cold.
Varieties
There are four common species in Russia: the Manchurian hare, the sandstone hare, the white hare and the brown hare. Let's look at them in more detail.
Manchurian
This species has much in common with wild rabbit, but it’s still difficult to confuse them, since the Manchurian hare looks a little different.
This is a small animal no more than 55 cm long and weighing up to 2.5 kg. The length of the ears is about 8 cm. The fur is hard and thick, brownish-ochre in color. Belly and sides lighter than body, several dark stripes on the back.
The habitat of this species is the Far East, the Korean Peninsula and Northeast China. In cold weather, this species experiences seasonal migration over short distances, during which animals move to places where there is less snow.
In nature, the species is not very widespread and commercial value does not have.
Sandstone
This species is also called tolai or talai. Compared to the Russians, it is quite small. Length 40-55 cm, weight up to 2.5 kg. But the tail and ears are longer: the length of the tail reaches 11.5 cm, the ears - up to 12 cm. Narrow paws are not adapted to move on snow. In summer, this species has grayish-buff fur, white on the throat and belly, and always remains dark on the rest of the body. The molting period largely depends on the habitat and weather conditions.
Tolai chooses flat areas, deserts and semi-deserts for life, but sometimes climbs high into the mountains. IN Central Asia it can be found at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level. Often this hare lives in a hole abandoned by another animal; it rarely digs holes itself.
Tolai leads a sedentary life and migrates only in case of severe deterioration in weather conditions or when there is an acute lack of food.
This species reproduces less frequently than others - 1-2 times a year, but since it is not hunted often, a decrease in numbers is not observed.
Tolay is widespread in Central Asia. It is also found in Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Southern Siberia and some provinces of China. In Russia, the tolai lives in Altai, the Astrakhan region, Buryatia and the Chui steppe.
Belyak
Description of the hare: it's pretty major representative hare family. How much does a hare weigh? Average weight white hare 2-3 kg, can reach up to 4.5 kg. Body length is from 45 to 70 cm, ears - 8-10 cm, tail - 5-10 cm. This species has wide paws. Thanks to its feet covered with thick hair, the hare moves with ease even on loose snow. The color depends on the time of year. In summer, the skin is gray - dark or with a reddish tint, with brown spots. The head is darker than the body, the belly is white. In winter, the white hare's skin becomes clean white. She sheds twice a year, in autumn and spring.
Where does the white hare live? In Russia, the white hare inhabits most territories from western Transbaikalia and the upper Don to the tundra. Also large populations of this species live in China, Japan, Mongolia, South America and in Northern Europe.
For life, they choose small forests located near water bodies, farmland and open spaces, places rich in herbaceous plants and berries. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, occupying an area of 3 to 30 hectares, migrating only in case of severe bad weather and lack of food supply. Long-distance and mass migrations of the hare are observed only in the tundra zone, where the snow cover in winter is so high that the hare’s food (low-growing plants) becomes inaccessible.
They breed 2-3 times a year, and there are up to 11 hares in a litter. The lifespan of a hare in the wild is from 7 to 17 years.
Hare
The brown hare is larger than the hare. With a body length of 57-68 cm, it weighs from 4 to 7 kg. The length of the ears is 9-14 cm, the tail of the hare is 7-14 cm. The hare has longer and narrower paws than the hare.
This hare in summer gray with an ocher, brownish or reddish tint. in winter gray hare, living in middle lane, practically does not change its color, only becomes a little lighter. Animals inhabiting northern regions, become almost white, leaving only a dark stripe on the back.
Where does the brown hare live? In Russia, Russians inhabit the entire European part, area Ural mountains, in Southern Siberia, Khabarovsk Territory and territories near Kazakhstan, in Transcaucasia in the Caucasus and Crimea.
Brown hare populations also inhabit Europe, the USA, Canada, Asia Minor and Asia Minor.
What does the hare eat? Since it is a herbivore, its diet consists of green parts of plants: clover, dandelion, mouse peas, yarrow, and cereals.
Rusak is a steppe hare, for life he chooses open spaces, rarely lives in forest areas and mountains. The animals lead a sedentary life, occupying an area of 30 to 50 hectares. Seasonal migrations occur only among Russians living in mountainous area. The brown hare descends from the mountains in winter, and climbs back to higher ground in summer.
They reproduce depending on the habitat and weather conditions, from 1 to 5 times a year. There are 1 to 9 hares in a litter. How many years does a hare live? Average duration The life of a hare is 6-7 years.
Habitats
Hares are distributed almost everywhere. Their populations are numerous and inhabit all continents. Antarctica is the only place on earth where these animals do not live.
Lifestyle and habits
This eared animal leads a twilight-nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, the animal rests on ditches. True, in places where there is a high number of obliques, the habits of the hare change and, often, it is active during the day.
Unlike rabbits, the scythe does not dig deep holes. A hare hole is a small depression in the ground, under bushes or tree roots. These animals choose their beds depending on the terrain and weather conditions. In warm weather clear weather they can lie down almost anywhere if there is at least a small shelter nearby. In winter, finding places to lie down is not a problem at all, since hares sleep right in the snow.
The oblique runs very fast, while running it often makes long jumps and can suddenly change direction. This method of movement helps the animal escape from the predators pursuing it. Eared cunning creatures are excellent at confusing their tracks. At the slightest threat, the animal freezes motionless until it considers that nothing threatens it anymore.
Many people wonder if hares can swim. Although they do not like water and try to stay away from it, they swim well.
Nutrition
The diet of the oblique is very varied. What a hare eats depends on the season, weather conditions and habitat.
In summer
In summer, this herbivorous animal eats more than 500 species of plants, preferring their green parts. Also loves to eat melons, vegetables and fruits. Animals often get out into the fields and raid vegetable gardens and orchards. In autumn, their diet includes more and more solid food. Withered grass, roots and branches of bushes become their main food.
in winter
What do hares eat in winter, when there is no greenery?
The thicker the layer of snow, the harder it is for the long-eared animal to obtain food. High level snow can hide almost everything that hares eat in winter. Animals save themselves from hunger by moving closer to settlements. Help them out in harsh winters haystacks, frozen berries on bushes and fallen fruits that animals dig out from under the snow.
Tree bark makes up the majority of the diet during the cold season. Usually the scythe chooses trees soft rocks: aspen, birch, willow and others.
in spring
In spring, the diet becomes significantly more varied due to buds, young shoots and fresh grass. To compensate for the nutritional deficiency, the long-eared eats pebbles, soil and even animal bones.
Reproduction
The weather conditions directly determine when the hares begin mating. IN warm winters the rut can begin in January, and after frosty winters- in the beginning of March.
Communicate in mating season These animals tap a certain rhythm with their front paws on the ground. Males compete for the attention of females, engaging in spectacular fights.
Young individuals are ready for reproduction at the age of one year. Most species produce offspring several to five times a year, with an average of 2-5 cubs per litter. Despite the fact that the rabbits are born developed and sighted, for the first days they practically do not move, hiding in a hole.
The female leaves the brood almost immediately after giving birth and only occasionally returns to feed the cubs. Since females have offspring at the same time, any hare that comes across hungry cubs will definitely feed them. This behavior is easy to explain. Baby hares have no smell, unlike adults, and the less often the female is near them, the less chance the cubs have of becoming prey to a predator.
Hunting
Hare hunting is popular in our country. This animal is an object of fur trade and sport hunting. IN large quantities These animals are hunted for their fur and tasty, nutritious meat.
Hunting begins in October before snowfall and lasts throughout the winter. There are many ways of hunting: by tracking, in blinds, in powder, with dogs and “in the wild”.
The scythe has many enemies in nature besides hunters. It is hunted by birds of prey, wolves, lynxes, coyotes and foxes. High fertility helps these animals maintain their numbers.
Video
White hare. Body length 44 – 74 cm. The tail is in the form of a fluffy white ball, the tips of the ears are black. The rest of the color is brownish or gray in summer and pure white in winter. Fur “skis” grow on their paws in winter. The tracks are wide, rounded, the prints of the hind paws are only slightly larger than the front ones. The hind legs are much longer than the front legs and are carried far forward when moving. Track length hind paw 12-17 cm, width 7-12 cm.
Brown hare. Body length 55 – 74 cm. The tail on top and the tips of the ears are black. The rest of the color is reddish-gray with blackish ripples, lighter in winter, especially on the belly and sides.
The hare and hare have ears longer than their heads, the tail is white below, and the fur is soft. The skin is fragile and weakly attached to the body, so shreds of skin often remain in the teeth of predators. The tracks are narrow, pointed (especially in Caucasian hare). The length of the footprint of the hind paw is 14-18 cm, width 3-7 cm. The hind legs are much longer than the front ones and are carried far forward when moving (in the picture on the right, the location of the tracks is on slow jumps, and on the left - on fast jumps).
- Spreading
White hare. Inhabits the tundra, forest and partially forest-steppe zones of Northern Europe (Scandinavia, northern Poland, isolated populations in Ireland, Scotland, Wales), Russia, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Transbaikalia, the Far East, northwestern Mongolia, northeastern China, Japan ( Hokkaido). Inhabits some Arctic islands (Novosibirsk, Vaigach, Kolguev).
In Russia, it is distributed over most of the territory, in the north up to and including the tundra zone. Southern border The range runs along the southern edges of the forest zone. It is known in fossil remains from the Upper Pleistocene deposits of the upper Don, from the region of the middle reaches of the Urals, western Transbaikalia (Mount Tologoi).
Brown hare. A native steppe animal of Europe, Asia Minor and Asia Minor, and North Africa. Currently, it is widespread in the steppes, forest-steppes, tundras and sparsely forested areas of the forest zone of Europe, in the north to Ireland, Scotland, southern Sweden and Finland, in the south to Turkey, Transcaucasia, Iran, the north of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, northern Kazakhstan.
Within Russia, it is found throughout the European part of the country to the northern coasts of lakes Ladoga and Onega, the Northern Dvina; further, the distribution border goes through Kirov, Perm, skirting the Ural Mountains, through Kurgan to the Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan. The southern border passes through Transcaucasia, the Caspian Sea, Ustyurt, the northern Aral Sea region to Karaganda.
- Habitats
White hare. Inhabitant of forests, but not of continuous taiga. Burnt areas, clearings, clearings - his favorite places, it goes out to the Siberian chars, gets along in the tundra and among treeless rocky hills. White hare are also common among birch tufts in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia.
Brown hare. A resident of open spaces, he enters forests only along the edges, clearings, roads, and into open forests. The hare settles among fields, meadows, in bushes and forest belts, in melon fields and vegetable gardens. In winter, he is especially attracted to winter gardens and vegetable gardens. There is something to chew on here, especially during snow crust, when the grasses in the steppe become completely inaccessible.
- Nutritional nature
White hare. The white hare is a herbivorous animal with a clearly defined seasonal diet. In spring and summer it feeds on green parts of plants; in different parts of the range, giving preference to clover, dandelion, mouse pea, yarrow, goldenrod, bedstraw, sedges, and cereals. It readily feeds on oats and clover in the fields. In the north-west of its range it eats large quantities of blueberry shoots and fruits. In places it eats horsetails and mushrooms, in particular, deer truffles, which it digs out of the ground.
In autumn, as the grass dries out, hares begin to eat small branches of bushes. As snow cover develops, feeding on roughage becomes increasingly important. In winter, the hare feeds on shoots and bark various trees and bushes. Almost everywhere, its diet includes various willows and aspen. Birches and larches are not eaten as readily by it, but due to their availability they serve as an important source of food, especially in the northern and eastern regions. In the south, the hare often feeds on shoots of broad-leaved species - oak, maple, hazel. In some places, the role of rowan, bird cherry, alder, juniper, and rose hips is important in the diet. If possible, even in winter it digs up and eats herbaceous plants and berries; feeds on hay in stacks. In the mountains Far East digs out dwarf cedar cones from under the snow.
In the spring, hares accumulate on lawns with young grass in flocks of 10-30 heads and greedily eat it. At this time, they are sometimes so carried away by feeding that they lose their usual caution. Like all herbivorous animals, the white hare experiences a deficiency of mineral salts. Therefore, it periodically eats the soil and swallows small pebbles. It willingly visits salt licks, gnawing on the bones of dead animals and antlers shed by elk.
Brown hare. In the summer, the hare feeds on plants and young shoots of trees and shrubs. Most often it eats leaves and stems, but it can also dig up roots; in the second half of summer it eats seeds (promotes their spread, since not all seeds are digested). The composition of the feed in the summer diet is very diverse - various wild (dandelion, chicory, tansy, knotweed, rapeseed, clover, alfalfa) and cultivated (sunflower, buckwheat, cereals) plants. Willingly eats vegetables and melons.
In winter, unlike the hare, it continues to feed on seeds and rags of grass, winter crops, and the remains of garden crops, digging them out from under the snow. With deep snow cover, it switches to feeding on tree and shrub vegetation (shoots, bark). It most readily eats maple, oak, hazel, broom, as well as apple and pear trees; Aspen and willows, favored by the hare, are consumed less frequently. Winter hare digs like to be visited by gray partridges, which are not able to dig up the snow themselves.
- Behavior by season
White hare. in autumn hares they begin to feed on the bark and branches of trees, even such as larch, grass rags - everything that they can get.
The hare is very prolific. Over the summer, a hare brings 2-3 litters out of 3-5, sometimes even 11 offspring. The males desperately fight among themselves, but, nevertheless, pursue the female in a group. After 50 days of pregnancy, the female climbs into the thick of the bushes or into dead wood, and hares appear there, capable of independent movement on the very first day. In the tundra, white hares sometimes make brood burrows, but in most habitats the brood of young hares remains simply under the cover of bushes and grasses. The young grow quickly and eat grass on the 9-10th day. However, unlike a rabbit, hares become sexually mature only at one year of age.
The hare molts in spring and autumn . Spring molting begins in March and ends in May. Autumn begins in August and ends in mid-November. In autumn, the hind legs and croup are the first to shed, then the front legs and sides. Summer fur stays longest on the back and near the eyes. In spring, molting occurs in the reverse order - from the back.
White hare live 8-9 years, sometimes live up to 10, but usually die much earlier.
Brown hare. Hares have 2-3 and even 4 litters. The rutting period is in early spring- V February-March. Spring litter of 1-2 hares, later litter of 3-4 (up to 8). The gestation period of a hare is 45-48 days - less than that of a hare. At 2 weeks of age, the hares begin to eat grass, but become adults at about one year of age. Russians live up to 10 years.
Like all hares, hare molt occurs in spring and autumn. Spring shedding occurs in March-April and occurs so violently that the fur falls out in clumps. Autumn shedding occurs gradually, summer hair falls out, and thick and lush winter fur grows to replace it. This shedding begins from the hips, then moves to the rump, spine and sides. In winter, the hare brightens and turns from reddish-gray to light gray. At this time his head and lower body are completely white, and top part the tail remains black.
- Meaning
White hare. Belyak is an important object commercial hunting, especially in the north.
The number of hare varies greatly from year to year, especially in the north. In years of high numbers, hares sometimes severely damage young trees in forests and make mass migrations. Such “hare” years in the tundra usually occur once every 10-12 years, in the taiga - somewhat more often. The timing of the change from summer to winter fur and vice versa for hare hare in each region is associated with the average long-term dates of the establishment and disappearance of snow cover. When late autumn or early spring, white hares become easily visible on dark background, which makes them easy prey for hunters and predators.
Hares in nature are sometimes infected with tularemia, a severe infectious disease that is also dangerous for humans. You can become infected by skinning or cutting up the carcass of an animal caught during a hunt. In places where foci of tularemia are known, hunting hares is quite risky.
Brown hare. The hare is a valuable game animal and an object of amateur and sport hunting. Mined annually in significant amount for meat and skins. Can harm winter crops, orchards and nurseries: in one night a hare can gnaw 10-15 fruit trees. In general, the brown hare is the most normal look, whose numbers in some years reach many millions of individuals. The number experiences significant changes from year to year depending on various factors: epizootics, lack of food, etc., but they are not as sharp as those of the hare. In the taiga, the cycle of fluctuations is 10-11 years; in the south of the range, fluctuations are more frequent and erratic.
The white hare (lat.Lepustimidus) is a mammal from the order Lagomorpha.
The body weight of this animal ranges from 1.6-4.5 kg. The ears are 7-10 cm long, the tail is short, round in shape, averaging about 7 cm.
The white hare has wide paws. The feet and the space between the toes are densely covered with hair. The color of the white hare's fur varies depending on the season: in summer the animal is gray or reddish-gray, and in winter it is white with slight black spots on the tops of the ears.
Shedding occurs twice a year: in autumn and spring, depending on changes in daylight hours and average daily temperature. In regions where there is little snowfall, hares do not change color. Female white hare are usually slightly larger than males.
Lifestyle of a hare
The white hare is active in the evening and predawn. In summer, the animal does not make special shelters for itself, but in winter it can dig a small hole in the snow, in which it hides during the daytime or in bad weather.
White hare lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, living on average on an area of 10-15 hectares. If there is plenty of food, the hare does not travel even two kilometers during the night. However, in search of food, the white hare is able to travel long distances - up to 10 kilometers in one night.
White hare feeding
White hare is a herbivore. His summer diet nutrition consists of the green parts of most herbaceous plants - this can be clover, all kinds of cereal grasses, dandelion leaves and flowers, yarrow and many medicinal plants growing in the territory it occupies. In winter, it is more difficult for an animal to find food for itself.
At this time, white hare feed on the bark of some deciduous trees, such as birch, willow, aspen, sometimes immature branches of bushes. Dry grass, and even cedar cones, are taken out from under the snow and eaten. They can wander into private estates and gnaw the bark of fruit trees.
The winter diet may also include dry berries remaining on the branches of bushes. There have been cases where hares have dug up and eaten truffle mushrooms.
White hare breeding
Mating occurs in spring and summer. Usually 5-7 hares are born, per in rare cases the number of cubs is 10-11. There may be 2-4 broods per season, depending on the amount of food and the age of the female. A female's pregnancy lasts on average 50 days. The cubs emerge sighted and ready to move independently. At first (8 days) they feed purely on mother’s milk, then little by little they try grass. After 14-15 days, the hares begin independent life and reach sexual maturity at 10 months. Life expectancy is 17 years, however, many individuals do not live even 5 years.
Habitat of the hare
The white hare lives near lands where there is plenty of food both in winter and summer. The natural habitat is the illuminated edges of deciduous and mixed forests, thickets of bushes. It can hide in tall steppe grasses, in reeds near water bodies - in places rich in food and where predators cannot reach it.
Natural habitat of the white hare
How view of the hare distributed mainly in northern latitudes– boreal forests of Northwestern Europe (northern Poland, Scandinavia, northern Great Britain, Sweden, Norway), in North America, on the territory of the European part of Russia, in the tundra forest zone throughout Siberia, Kamchatka and Sakhalin.
Within Ukraine, separate populations are found in Sumy, Chernihiv and Zhytomyr regions.
The number of white hare and the reasons for its change
In 2010, about two hundred individuals lived in Ukraine white hare species: the largest population (150 individuals) was found in the Sumy region, slightly less in the Rivne (30 individuals) and Chernigov (20 individuals) regions.
Reasons for population decline in Ukraine:
- warmer climatic conditions;
- poaching;
- increase in the number of predators (mainly foxes);
- deforestation.
MBOU "Kryukovskaya secondary comprehensive school Ostrovsky district, Pskov region
4th grade student
Fedorova Elena Vyacheslavovna
White hare versus brown hare. (Ecology)
Head: teacher primary classes
Vasilyeva T.V.
Hooks-2015
Subject of study:
study of two types of hares.
Relevance My topic is that many children and even adults do not know that two types of hares live in our forests. How are they different, how are these animals similar? What do they eat and how do they spend the winter in the severe frosts of our winter.
Purpose of the study: Find out about the life of hares living in our forests of the Pskov region, about the difference between the two types of hares
Research objectives:
1. Analyze data in the encyclopedic literature on the research topic;
2. Describe the characteristics of hares;
3. Acquaintance with the diversity of the world of wild animals
4. Learn to find on your own necessary information about wild animals and systematize it;
5. Find out about two types of hares. Find out what types wild hares live in our area.
6. Conduct a survey among friends about hares.
Research methods:
observation, practical work, collecting information from books, magazines, generalization.
5. Literature.
1.Introduction.
2. Main part.
About two hares: the similarities and differences between the brown hare and the white hare.
3.Interesting Facts from the life of hares.
Introduction:
When I went to kindergarten, then I often heard about the cowardly hare.
I wanted to learn more about the life of not fairy-tale, but real hares that can be found in our forest.
MAIN PART.
According to legend, the hare is cowardly because he has little heart. When God was sculpting a hare from clay, he got carried away and made him long ears, but there wasn’t enough clay for his heart. God liked the ears, and he did not want to spoil them, but tore off a piece from the tail and made a tiny heart for the hare.
Question: What is the difference between a white hare and a brown hare?
I conducted a survey in primary school our school and found out that 98% of children know
only that the hare lives in the forest and changes its coat when winter comes. Almost all children have not even heard that there are such types of hares: white hares, hare hares. They think that they are the same hares.
The following questions were answered (out of 30 children):
How many types of hares do you know? 27 children answered: “Just a hare.”
Hare lifestyle? 25 children answered: “Forest.”
What do hares eat? 29 children answered: “Grass, carrots.”
How do hares winter? 24 answered: – “In the forest”
-4- I collected materials for my research and divided hares into 2 types in order to compare what they have in common and how they differ in coat color, habits, and lifestyle. Appearance hares: large, slightly bulging hare eyes see well in the twilight and at night. Their high position on the sides of the head gives the animal the opportunity to notice a threat from afar. A wide field of view is also provided by the movable neck, which allows you to turn your head from side to side.
Hares are not particularly sociable, but often warn each other of danger by loudly drumming their hind limbs on the ground. Soles hare's paws covered with long, thick wool, which provides reliable adhesion to any soil - from baked clay to loose sand or snow - in any natural area.
Similarities and differences between the mountain hare and the mountain hare
Brown hare
White hare
Habitat:
The brown hare lives in many types of forests and around fields. To avoid attacks from predators, brown hares move actively at night and during twilight. During the day they hide, for example, under a spruce tree. Brown hare cubs (hares) are forced to cope with all difficulties and survive, mainly without a mother; During the first two or three weeks, the mother comes to feed them only once a day. After feeding, the bunny is left alone. Survival for brown hares mainly lies in their ability to hide from predators.
The norm for the hare is a solitary, territorial lifestyle. Everyone has their own area that they know well. For the most part, this is a sedentary animal. Seasonal movements occur in the spring, when animals move to more open places where the first grass appears earlier, and in the fall to the forest, where it is better to hide in the developed undergrowth. Heavy, prolonged rains can push hares to move from lowlands to higher ground. In the north, in the summer, hares move to open places to escape midges, and in the winter they look for places where there is less snow. White hare living in the tundra are characterized by mass migrations (several dozen individuals) over long distances (sometimes up to hundreds of kilometers). This is mainly related to search
Description:
The brown hare is also large (57–68 centimeters, weight up to 7 kilograms), often larger than the hare. In Russia it is found within the European and northern parts. Considered a resident of the steppes, fields, and meadows. It has a fragile build, long ears, a wedge-shaped tail, black or black-brown on top. The brown hare is the most common species in our area. During the day he can lie down in the bushes. Sometimes they even climb into the holes of their main enemies - foxes!!! In winter, brown hares dig holes up to 2.5 meters long in the snow for the day, and also hide in haystacks, and some hares even climb to the top of the haystack
The white hare is a fairly large animal; it can reach a body length of up to 60 centimeters, weighing from 1.6 to 4.5 kilograms. The usual habitat is northern Europe. In Russia, it is mainly distributed in the north up to and including the tundra zone. Considered to be a forest dweller. The ears are long, but not as long as those of his relative the hare. Solid white tail, short and rounded, wide paws. Unlike the hare, he prefers coniferous forests with thickets of bushes. The color of the coat changes depending on the time of year. In winter the coat is white (the tips of the ears remain black all year round), and in summer it is grey-red, the fur on the belly and feet remains white.
Nutrition:
The brown hare feeds exclusively plant foods. Both in winter and summer, its diet includes various field grasses and their seeds (see how it is in the video above). In winter, when there is not enough food, young shoots and bark of trees and shrubs are used. Fruit orchards often suffer from the hare's teeth, where literally in one night the animal can damage a dozen trees. Rough food is difficult to digest, so sometimes hares of this species eat their droppings to absorb nutrients.
If possible, even in winter it digs up and eats herbaceous plants and berries; feeds on hay in stacks. The white hare is a herbivore and feeds seasonally. In spring and summer it feeds on green parts of plants; V various parts giving preference to clover, dandelion and black peas. It readily feeds on oats and clover in the fields. In places it eats horsetails and mushrooms that it digs out of the ground.
In autumn, as the grass dries out, whites begin to eat small twigs of bushes. As snow cover sets in, feed on roughage. In winter, the hare feeds on shoots and bark of various trees and shrubs. Its diet also includes various willows and aspens. Birches and larches are not so readily eaten by it, but due to their availability they serve as an important source of food, especially when the snow cover is deep.
What is the difference between a white hare and a brown hare?
Main differences:
As already mentioned, the first thing you should pay attention to when identifying alivethat's whyear size. The hare's are shorter, and the hare's are longer.
Also, the hind limbs of the hare are somewhat longer than those of his brother. The length of the foot can reach 18.5 centimeters. This provides him with faster running than the hare. But the latter has wider feet in order to stay on the snow.
The difficulty in distinguishing one from the other arises in the summer, when both are gray in color. However, it is impossible to disguise anatomical features, so an experienced observer will always be able to recognize who is the real hare and who is the hare.
The peculiarity of the hare's diet is that if deep snow cover is established, it can move onto bark and bushes. Moreover, there is maple, oak, hazel, and broom wood. But willow and aspen are not so favored. While the latter are the hare’s favorite delicacies.
The difference between a hare and a hare is as follows:
What about the number of hares in our forest? And who else but the hunters knows about this? I decided to talk to Mikhailov Yan Gennadievich.
How often can you see a hare in our forest?
The hare can be seen not only in the forest. They often resort to human habitation and livestock farms. The number of hares has now increased. Hare hunting is permitted. It is very interesting for hunters. Especially in winter, we have to untangle the traces of the oblique all day, and at this time he is already lying somewhere nearby and “laughing” at us. But I have true friend who solves hare crossword puzzles
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Conclusion:
It turns out that not all hares are the same. The hare and the hare are so different from each other that it is even surprising how some people manage to confuse them. However, the problem is common. Understanding the differences will be useful not only for wildlife lovers, but also for hunters, rangers, forest workers, and just young naturalists. The ability to recognize the characteristic differences of these animals will also be useful to those who study the habits of these animals, and they differ greatly
Interesting facts from the life of a hare
There is a known case where a hare was raised by a domestic dog. The animal adopted a behavior pattern from its “teacher”: it rushed at other dogs and even bit them;
Previously, hares were classified as belonging to the order of rodents, but now a separate order of lagomorphs has been allocated for them;
V good weather When a hare is in danger, he puts his ears vertically, and clinging to the ground, he examines everything around, while remaining unnoticed.
Hares live no more than 9 years, and males live even less - about 5. However, cases have been recorded when a hare lived up to 13.5 years.
Hares are territorial animals. Even when this animal runs away from a hunter or predator, it moves within its territory;
Many people are mistaken in believing that hares are vegetarians. In fact, these animals eat not only cabbage and carrots, but also meat.
To communicate between relatives, hares use their “ drum roll", which they knock out with their paws. Just like elephants, animals stomp their feet on the ground, warning other animals that the territory is occupied;
In winter, the fur on the belly of hares lengthens by a couple of millimeters so that the animal does not freeze its tummy. Hairs also grow around the nose, protecting it from frost;
In the Pskov region, the brown hare and the white hare are common. Body length is 55 - 70 centimeters, weight - up to 6 kilograms.
White hare - inhabitant coniferous forests. Adheres to sparse areas and bushes. The coat is reddish-brown in summer, white in winter. Fluctuations in the number of white hare in the Pskov region do not have a strict rhythm.
Literature
Russian forest/I. Sokolov-Mikitov; Moscow: Esko: OLISS, 2014.-96 sheets: ill. (p. 22-24)
Wild animals. Publishing House Atlas 2008
From earth to sky. Atlas-determinant: book for students beginning. class / A.A. Pleshakov.-M.: Education, 2014.-224 p. : ill.-(Green House)
Animals of our forests. All forest animals of Russia / Shkolnik Yu.K.-M. : Eksmo.2013.-64 p.: ill.-(Popular scientific and practical encyclopedia of modern knowledge).
Illustrations and photographs from the site were usedhttp: foto// ru/ galleru// images/ photo/2007/12/914338. ypg
Personal photographs from the archive of Mikhailov Ya.G.
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