Fun Indian Hare Facts For Kids

Hares and rabbits belong to the same family Leporidae and share many similar characteristics. However, hares have certain distinct aspects that distinguish them from rabbits.

Hares have big ears and large hind feet, they are even faster than rabbits. There are almost 32 species of a hare and the Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is one of them.

Identified for its black fur patch it is also called Black-naped hare. It is a native species of India and Java and has been introduced to Mauritius, Seychelles, Irian Jaya, Madagascar, Comoro Island, and other places.

This species has seven acknowledged subspecies and is locally abundant. These hares are generally seen in the hilly regions, grassland, forest, and farms.

The Indian hare tends to demolish crops and plants however, they are an important food source for various wild animals. These hares are also subjected to poaching as their soft fur is used for the manufacturing of various products.

Want to learn more about the Indian hare? Then keep reading this article as more intriguing facts are stated below.

If you find this article interesting then make sure to check our articles on Tolai hare and snowshoe hare and share these facts with everyone.

Indian Hare Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Indian hare?

There are over 32 species of hares and the Indian hare or the Black-naped hare is one of them. It has a further seven subspecies

What class of animal does an Indian hare belong to?

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) belongs to the class of Mammalia, and the family Leporidae that is known to consists of all the hares and rabbits.

How many Indian hares are there in the world?

The Lepus nigricollis breed throughout the year and the population are also stable. But the exact number of this hare present in the world is not listed.

Where does an Indian hare live?

The Indian hare location is not confined within the premises of India even though they are a native Indian species. The geographical range of this species is extended beyond the premises of south India, as the Black-naped hare has been spotted as far as Madhya Pradesh, Berar, and Khandesh.

The Lepus nigricollis is usually found in other countries as well including Sri Lanka and Java. The Black-naped hare was introduced in countries like Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoro Island, Seychelles.

What is an Indian hare's habitat?

The Indian hare habitat is usually the forest, bushes, or farmland. The Lepus nigricollis or the black-naped hare do not dig burrows, they live above the ground.

When females give birth to the young ones after the breeding season they create a shallow depression made or a flattened nest which is known as a 'form' that is usually made of grasses. This kind of depression is common near the footing of hills where they are abundant.

Who do Indian hares live with?

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) and other hares are usually known to be solitary animals. They are primarily diurnal and communicate while when they desire to mate. However, the Indian hare is polygynous and they mate throughout the year.

How long does an Indian hare live?

The average lifespan of the black-naped hare in its natural wild habitat is approximately five years. The Indian hare in captivity can live as long as seven years.

How do they reproduce?

There is no definite breeding season as the Lepus nigricollis mate throughout the year. But mating is at its peak between October to February.

The Indian hare male and the Indian hare female both attain sexual maturity after one year of their birth. Males become aggressive towards other males and frequently fight. Males with the help of their hind feet fight with each other.

The mating system is polygynous as the male attempts to mate with as many females as possible. It is documented that in one year approximately 69% of females get impregnated. The range number of the offspring is 1-4 while the average number of offspring can be anywhere between 1-8.

The young ones are born after a gestation period of 42-44 days. Females create a nest or depressions out of grasses and nurse them for 2-3 weeks.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Lepus nigricollis according to the Internation Union for the Conservation of Nature is of Least Concern. These species have been introduced to other countries as well where the population is also stable.

Indian Hare Fun Facts

What does an Indian hare look like?

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is a distinct species of hare and has seven subspecies. This hare is approximately 15.7-27.6 in (40-70 cm) and weighs 3-15.4 lb (1.4-7 kg).

The Indian hare color is generally brown and black scattered all over its body. However, the Indian hare appearance plays a crucial role in naming the species.

The Indian hare is also known as the Black-naped hare which is due to the presence of the peculiar black patch around its neck. This neck patch is a prominent feature that enables us to identify them from the rest of the hares.

They have long ears and large hind feet this aids them to run even faster if attacked by a predator.

Their body is covered in fur, even their feet. The underparts of this species are white while the surface of the tail is black.

How cute are they?

The fluffy full furred body with round eyes give these hares a very sweet appearance.

How do they communicate?

There are not many details available regarding how the Indian hare communicate.

How big is an Indian hare?

Hares are larger than rabbits. The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is almost 15.7-27.6 in (40-70 cm). These hares are smaller than the brown hare that is 17.7-20.9 in (45-53 cm).

How fast can an Indian hare run?

The speed of the Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is 50 mph (80.5 kph).

How much does an Indian hare weigh?

The approximate weight of the Indian hare is somewhere between the range of 3-15.4 lb (1.4-7 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

A male, in general, is called a Jack, and a female is called a Jill.

What would you call a baby Indian hare?

The Indian hare baby is called a leveret. Young hares are precocial however, females take nurse the young ones for almost 2-3 weeks. The young Indian hare is born with fur and open eyes also it is odorless.

What do they eat?

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is an herbivore and its diet depends on the season and their respective habitats. During the dry season, these hares usually eat flowering plants as short grasses are the least available.

While during the monsoon season they like eating short grasses. These hares are also known to destroy crops when they face a shortage of food like the short grass.

Are they poisonous?

No, the Lepus nigricollis is not poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

The Indian hare does not do well in captivity as they are found throughout the wild such as forest, or grassland, unlike rabbits that can be kept as a pet.

Did you know...

One of the unique features of the Indian hare and all other hares is that they have jointed skulls which is unusual among mammals.

The European brown hare is considered to be the largest of hare species.

The hares have 48 chromosomes, which means they have four chromosomes more than rabbits.

Why are hares important to the ecosystem?

The ecosystem is a vast community where all the organisms play a crucial role to maintain a balance. The Lepus nigricollis is a primary source of food for many animals thereby maintaining the food chain.

Are Indian hares endangered?

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) or the Black-naped hare is not an endangered species. This hare is a native species of India, Sri Lanka, and Java. The population of this species is stable in their range.

The conservation status has been confirmed by IUCN as of least concern. The Indian hare locally abundant particularly in southern India. Nevertheless, this species was introduced in other countries including Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Madagascar.

However, just because they are abundant does not imply they do not have any threats. Indian hare predators embody leopards, eagles, gray wolves, foxes, mongooses, hawks, wild cats. Human beings also hunt them for the production of glove linings.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these mountain hare facts and Arctic hare facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable hare coloring pages.

Second image by N. A. Nazeer (1962)