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Kingdom: Animalia Black-tailed jackrabbit |
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Description
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Author: Thomas Peebles IV Site created by: Rachael McCormick Site Maintained by: Dr. Mark Wallace
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Habitat Requirements Home ranges are approximately one hectare (Knick 1997). Females have larger ranges than males (Ballenger 2000). They typically inhabit open, shrubby grassland (Hoagland 1992). Key forages for jackrabbits include honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), cactus (Opunta sp.), dropseed (Sporobolus sp.), broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) and black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) (Daniel 1993). Poisonous plants, unpalatable to cattle, are sometimes important jackrabbit foods (Daniel 1993). Jackrabbits are active in the early morning and late evening throughout the year, and often require shade in the afternoon (Clark 1987). Black-tailed jackrabbits prefer habitats with poor to fair range conditions over those of good to excellent range conditions (Daniel 1993). This behavior was attributed to the jackrabbits need for diverse food sources and cover for protection (Daniel 1993). The diet of jackrabbits in the Chihuahuan Desert of Las Cruces, N. Mexico is dominated by shrubs (Daniel 1993). Grasses only comprised 22% of its diet (Daniel 1993). Maximum consumption of shrubs is in the winter and minimal use of shrubs in the summer (Daniel 1993). Use of shrubs allow the jackrabbits to maintain water balance during dry periods (Daniel 1993). Burned areas in southwestern Idaho had more black-tailed jackrabbit habitat that unburned areas (Knick 1997). Black-tailed jackrabbits prefer feeding on short vegetation because, unlike other animals who use the dense brush for cover, jackrabbits use the visability offered by grasslands to spot predators (TPWD 2000). Black-tailed jackrabbits are often involved in vehicle collisions because their attraction to roadside vegetation (Clark 1987). Many closely cropped turfs of airports are also a common jackrabbit association (Robinson 1989).
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