We have the pleasure of having a large jack rabbit population in the city. I've seen them in front of the downtown library so they are right downtown.
The jack rabbit is fairly large. Length varies from 22 to 26 in and weight from 5.5 lb. to 9.5 lb.
They are mostly active at night but usually remain resting in the day. In my subdivision there may be 5 to 12 animals and they visit my yard very often.
These rabbits turn white for the winter. That's what this post is going to be about. Most years all animals have their white coat long before this time. This year there are a number of animals that have a winter coat but they are mostly brown. That's what I'm wondering about. Why are these animals still brown rather than white?
I took the first photo on Nov. 25. The ears stay brown and the ear tips are black. The second photo was taken Dec. 7. I believe this to be the same animal. It has two forms under my raspberries. A form is a place that is smoothed out and they stay there all day.
This animal will probably keep spending time in my yard every 4 or 5 days until something scares it off. I'll keep watching.
Interesting information! Hope he doesn't end up as rabbit stew. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteVery little chance of these animals ending up in the pot.
DeleteThe Jack Rabbit is a cute critter, great photos. Take care, have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting Red. Presumably he is related to our 'ordinary' rabbit? My very favourite native animal is the hare - rather like a rabbit but with longer ears. I wonder where your jack rabbt fits in.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with all the tame breeds of rabbit.
DeleteThis one is native to a large area of western north America. It's known as the prairie hare Lepus townsendii
It is getting lighter. Love that face!
ReplyDeleteIt depends how the light hits this critter. Yes I think he/she is lighter.
DeleteMaybe you need more snow, Red!
ReplyDeleteYes we need more snow . We are very dry.
DeleteInteresting observation, Red. In just the dozen days or so between your photos the rabbit has clearly turned more white. I hope you’ll be able to capture him/her again in another couple of weeks to see the change. I am very curious about what, exactly, causes the animals to change color. I think I will go do some research on Google. Thanks for this interesting post. John
ReplyDeleteThis animal will very likely be back to the same scrape to spend the day. they rest and groom all day and then run around all night!
DeleteI love that you have a jack rabbit that spends time in your yard. Now I'm curious about the changing in its coat color. I hope you get to keep seeing it and photographing it to see if it changes its color for winter. (NewRobin13)
ReplyDeleteWould you eat one Red? Might save on buying a Christmas turkey.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were on the farm we ate a few of them.
DeleteJack looks pretty content in his spot.
ReplyDeleteThey rest and groom all day.
DeleteI would love them around here. They're a beautiful rabbit and delightful coloring as it transitions to its winter coat.
ReplyDeleteVery zen when resting.
ReplyDeleteWhat a face! I would also love to see them around here. And it must be the same rabbit, or maybe they all have faces like that. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would say it's the same animal as it comes back to the same scrape to rest and groom. Scrape is where ground or snow has been leveled a bit for comfort.
DeleteI see some commenters are googling. My guess is that there needs to be a given number of days below a given temperature before they change colour. Have you had a warm fall?
ReplyDeleteRabbits are great little animals, I hope he stays safe and comes back often
Apparently your guess is right. Weather influences the change.
DeleteI hope he keeps coming back and we can all watch its progress, if that is what is bound to happen.
ReplyDeleteWell Jack the Rabbit is blending in quite well to its surroundings right now. You, and he, need more snow.
ReplyDeleteHe picked out a bare spot in my raspberry patch which has ground and vegetation in which he blends in very well.
DeleteLD....As a kid we had jack rabbits on our southern Iowa farm. They are few and far between. Our foxes or coyotes in suburbs, edge of the woods, keep all rabbit populations to a small number.
ReplyDeleteIowa would be the eastern edge of their range.
DeleteOh, dear.. I would be setting out food and trying to entice him to stay a while. He has a stern look on his furry face though.
ReplyDeleteYes, it certainly appears to be the same animal. Good looking and looks to be quite heavy, getting ready for winter, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteOh they are large
ReplyDeleteFun to see, that would be a meal:) That is if you were a rabbit hunter! I wonder if they will turn more white as the Winter goes on:)
ReplyDeleteI learned a new word. I'll have to try and remember it!
ReplyDeleteHe looks stoic.
ReplyDeleteoh this is big rabbit lot bigger than we have here
ReplyDeletethey turn white in winter wow that is amazing Nature know her job so well indeed
if they could not turn white this year may be climate change has something to do with it probably may be