Hare
A hare is a fast-running mammal in the rabbit family, typically larger than a rabbit. Its young are born furred and with their eyes open.
Leporidae: The mammal family that includes rabbits, hares, and pikas. Hares belong to this family, alongside rabbits.
Saltatorial locomotion: A mode of movement based on powerful leaps, as in bounding mammals. Hares escape danger with long, rapid bounds powered by their hindlimbs.
Arctic hare: A hare of the Arctic tundra, adapted to cold conditions and seasonal snow. Its dense coat and seasonal coloration illustrate adaptation to polar environments.
Rabbit: A small mammal in the family Leporidae, generally distinguished from hares by its smaller size and altricial young. Rabbits are the closest familiar comparison, but their newborns are typically hairless and blind.
Lagomorpha: The mammal order containing the families Leporidae and Ochotonidae. This order places hares among lagomorphs, not rodents.
Running: A form of locomotion in which an animal moves rapidly using coordinated limb cycles. Speed helps hares evade predators across open ground.
Snowshoe hare: A North American hare with broad, furred feet and a seasonally changing coat. Its oversized feet and winter-white coat suit snowy forests.
Pika: A small, short-eared mammal in the lagomorph family Ochotonidae. Pikas share the order Lagomorpha with hares but belong to a different family.
Lepus: A genus of mammals containing most species commonly called hares and jackrabbits. Most animals called hares are classified in this genus.
Antipredator adaptation: A trait or behavior that reduces an organism’s risk of being killed by predators. Hares combine alertness, concealment, and flight rather than relying on burrows.