Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Lepus
Species: californicus

Black-tailed jackrabbit

Range and Distribution

Reproduction

Habitat

Human/Economic Values

Current Management Status

Literature Cited

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Author: Thomas Peebles IV

Site created by: Rachael McCormick

Site Maintained by: Dr. Mark Wallace

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The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is a hare commonly found throughout the United States (Ballenger 2000). It's most distinctive features are its long ears and large hind feet. The young are precocial which means that they are born with fur and their eyes are wide open and alert (Cabrera 2000). The jackrabbits fur is dark with peppered black spots. The black-tailed jackrabbit has black tipped ears and a black stripe that runs from the rump to the tip of the tail (TPWD 2000).

Adult jackrabbits have dimensions ranging from 465-630 mm long, 112-145 mm hind feet, 110-130 mm long ears. Weight ranges from 2.4 - 4.0 kilograms (Clark 1987). The female jackrabbit is the larger of the two sexes (Ballenger 2000). The jackrabbit is active in the early morning and late evening throughout the year (Clark 1987). Jackrabbits rarely walk (Cabrera 2000). They tend to hop five to ten feet at a time running on the toes of their hind feet (Cabrera 2000).