Showing posts with label hares. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hares. Show all posts
Friday, March 29, 2013
Easter Animal Guide
Do you know why the animal symbol for Easter is a rabbit? (Trick question: It's actually a hare.) Or why chicks and lambs are also associated with Easter? Have you ever heard about the association roosters have with this holy holiday? If not, click on the links below to learn more about the Easter animals.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Rabbits Vs. Hares
Though most people know him as the Easter bunny, this traditional originate with a hare. In the 18th century, German immigrants in Pennsylvania Dutch country began telling their children stories of the “Osterhas” or “Oschter Haws”, who would bring good children colored eggs as Easter gifts. In this case, “has” means “hare”.
So what’s the difference between a rabbit/bunny and a hare, you ask? Well, for starters, rabbits live underground in burrows and live in groups. Hares live in above ground nests, usually on their own.
Hares are generally bigger in size than rabbits, and have longer ears. Hares are also very fast-moving. And while rabbits have become common domesticated pets in America, hares are usually wild.
P.S. If you're a fan of rabbits, check out our great selection of stuffed and plush rabbits and bunnies!
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| Left: Hares, Right: Rabbits |
Hares are generally bigger in size than rabbits, and have longer ears. Hares are also very fast-moving. And while rabbits have become common domesticated pets in America, hares are usually wild.
P.S. If you're a fan of rabbits, check out our great selection of stuffed and plush rabbits and bunnies!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Beyond Dorothy And Toto: Kansas' Indigenous Mammals
Kansas' indigenous mammals include the common cottontail, black-tailed jackrabbit, black-tailed prairie dog, muskrat, black-footed ferret, opossum, and raccoon; the white-tailed deer is the state's only big-game animal. There are 12 native species of bat, 2 varieties of shrew and mole, and 3 types of pocket gopher. Let's study the jackrabbit, black-footed ferret and prairie dog more closely.
The jackrabbit is actually a hare, not a rabbit. All that this means is it is larger than a rabbit, and it has longer ears and hind legs than a rabbit. Jackrabbits were named for their ears, which resemble those of a jackass. They are speedy animals, capable of reaching speeds around 40mph, and they can leap 10 feet into the air! This is their main mechanism for evading their enemies.
The black-footed ferret has a black mask on its face and tan ferrets have black markings on its feet, legs and tail tip. Its long, skinny body is good for crawling through tunnels and holes of prairie dogs, its primary prey. Prairie dogs make up the majority of the black-footed ferret's diet, but it also eats squirrels, mice, and other rodents. They are solitary animals, living alone and females raise their litters alone.
The rabbit-sized prairie dog lives on prairies and open grasslands, and live in underground burrows . This underground system of tunnels and chambers is complex, including nurseries, sleeping areas, and even toilets. They also have listening posts near exits to watch for prey. Burrows may be shared by snakes, burrowing owls, and black-footed ferrets after they prey on the prairie dogs.
The prairie dog is an expressive animal that lives in family groups, which greet one another with a prairie dog kiss or nuzzle, and communicate with loud cries. Sadly, 98 percent of all prairie dogs in the Great Plains have been exterminated for farming purposes.
The jackrabbit is actually a hare, not a rabbit. All that this means is it is larger than a rabbit, and it has longer ears and hind legs than a rabbit. Jackrabbits were named for their ears, which resemble those of a jackass. They are speedy animals, capable of reaching speeds around 40mph, and they can leap 10 feet into the air! This is their main mechanism for evading their enemies.
The black-footed ferret has a black mask on its face and tan ferrets have black markings on its feet, legs and tail tip. Its long, skinny body is good for crawling through tunnels and holes of prairie dogs, its primary prey. Prairie dogs make up the majority of the black-footed ferret's diet, but it also eats squirrels, mice, and other rodents. They are solitary animals, living alone and females raise their litters alone.
The rabbit-sized prairie dog lives on prairies and open grasslands, and live in underground burrows . This underground system of tunnels and chambers is complex, including nurseries, sleeping areas, and even toilets. They also have listening posts near exits to watch for prey. Burrows may be shared by snakes, burrowing owls, and black-footed ferrets after they prey on the prairie dogs.
The prairie dog is an expressive animal that lives in family groups, which greet one another with a prairie dog kiss or nuzzle, and communicate with loud cries. Sadly, 98 percent of all prairie dogs in the Great Plains have been exterminated for farming purposes.
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