# Brown Hare (*Lepus europaeus*) The Brown Hare is a fast and agile animal with long ears and strong legs. They love to hop around fields and meadows, especially at dusk and dawn. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Brown Hare](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/European_Brown_Hare_%2850341079472%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: caroline legg, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:European_Brown_Hare_%2850341079472%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Brown Hare has a lean body, long powerful legs, and very long ears tipped with black. Its fur is a mix of brown and grey, appearing lighter on its belly. It looks different from a rabbit due to its larger size and characteristic black ear tips. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Lagomorpha - **Family:** Leporidae - **Genus:** Lepus ## Interesting facts - Brown Hare babies, called leverets, are left hidden alone in shallow dips to avoid attracting predators! - Hares can digest tough plant material like bark thanks to special microbes in their gut! - Hares often box each other during 'Mad March', but it's usually a female fending off an unwanted male! - Their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, giving them an almost 360-degree view of their surroundings! ## Special abilities - **Speed Demon:** Brown Hares can run incredibly fast because of their strong hind legs, helping them escape predators quickly. - **Leaping Master:** Brown Hares can leap far and high, which helps them clear obstacles or confuse a chasing predator. - **Acute Hearing:** Brown Hares have long, swivelling ears that help them pinpoint the exact location of distant sounds like predators. - **Born Ready:** Brown Hares are born with fur and open eyes that help them run and hide from danger almost immediately. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 48-75 cm - **Weight:** 2.5-6.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-7 years - **Speed:** 72 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-5 - **Gestation:** 41-42 days ## Diet & Feeding Brown Hares munch on plants like grass, herbs, and crops to get their energy. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, herbs, clover, cereal crops, bark, root vegetables - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Main predator in many areas. - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-eagle) (*Aquila chrysaetos*) — Large bird of prey that hunts hares. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Eagle-Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-eagle-owl) (*Bubo bubo*) — Nocturnal hunter of hares. - **Eats:** [Orchard Grass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orchard-grass) (*Dactylis glomerata*) — A common food source. - **Eats:** [White Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover) (*Trifolium repens*) — Favoured food item. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a hare, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Brown Hare? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Brown Hare? 48-75 cm ### How much does Brown Hare weigh? 2.5-6.5 kg ### How long does Brown Hare live? 4-7 years ### How fast can Brown Hare move? 72 km/h ### What does Brown Hare eat? Brown Hares munch on plants like grass, herbs, and crops to get their energy. ### Where is Brown Hare usually found? Grasslands ### How does Brown Hare hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Englischer Garten München](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/englischer-garten-munchen) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Landschaftspark Herzberge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/landschaftspark-herzberge-berlin) — Berlin, DE · Park - [Rosensteinpark Stuttgart](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rosensteinpark-stuttgart) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park [View all places to see Brown Hare](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/brown-hare) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Brown Hare: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-hare)