Black-naped hare
The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) is a common species of hare. They are herbivores and live solitarily. Hairs nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth.
Cr
CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
Co
CoprophageCoprophage animals are those that consume feces. Domesticated and wild mammals are sometimes coprophagic, and in some species, this forms an essent...
He
HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
Gr
GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Vi
ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Pr
PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Ju
JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
Po
PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
So
SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
I
starts withThe Indian hare is generally brown and black scattered all over its body. There is a black patch around its neck. The underparts of the hare are white and the top of the tail is black. The Indian hare has long ears to dissipate body heat and powerful hind feet covered with fur.
This species is native to the Indian subcontinent and Java. They inhabit short grasslands, cultivated areas, and forests.
Indian hares are shy solitary animals. They are crepuscular and during the day usually sleep in shallow depression or flattened nest of grass called a form. Hares are fast animals and can run up to 80 km/h (50 mph) over short distances.
Indian hares are herbivores (graminivores). They mainly feed on various grasses and also practice coprophagy.
Indian hares are polygynous meaning that males mate with multiple females during the breeding season. They breed throughout the year but the peak usually occurs between February and October. During this time males become aggressive and fight with other males; this behavior is called "boxing" where one hare strikes another with its paws. After the gestation period of 41-47 days, the female gives birth to a litter of 1-8 young, called leverets. The young are born well-furred and with open eyes. The female usually nurses her young for about 2-3 weeks. Indian hares become reproductively mature and start to breed when they are 1 year old.
The main threats to this species include the loss of their native habitat mainly due to agricultural expansion. They are also hunted by locals for their meat.
According to IUCN Red List, the Indian hare is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.