Japanese Hare
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| Japanese Hare[1] | ||||||||||||||
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 A Japanese Hare in Brown Pelage
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| Lepus brachyurus Temminck, 1845 |
The Japanese Hare (Lepus brachyurus) is an Asian hare.
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[edit] Geographic range
The Japanese Hare is found on the continent of Asia. It is found primarily in 5 countries even though it is named for one. The Japanese Hare is found in Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia.
[edit] Habitat
The Japanese Hare is mostly found in mountains or hilly areas in the places they inhabit. These are the areas that it prefers to live in. It also inhabits forests or brushy areas. Due to human encroachment though, this hare has thrived in and around urban environments, so much so that it has become a nuisance in some places.
[edit] Physical description
The Japanese Hare has a body length that ranges from 12 to 18 inches long. Its tail will grow to lengths of 1 3 inches long. Its front legs grow from 4 to 6 inches and the back legs can grow from 6 inches to 8 inches long. The Japanese Hare's ears grow to be about 2 inches long when fully grown. The Japanese Hare is one of the many mammals that change the color of the fur according to the season. Although all Japanese Hares do not change their fur color, those that live in varying climate conditions do.
[edit] Reproduction
The litter size of the Japanese Hare varies from 1 to 6. The age of maturity is uncertain, but females probably breed within a year of birth. Breeding continues year round. Several litters are born each year, each of which contain 2-4 individuals. Mating is promiscuous; males chase females, and box to repel rivals.
[edit] Behavior
The Japanese Hare, like most hares and rabbits, is nocturnal and feeds mainly in the evening and early morning. It is silent except when it is in distress and gives out a call for the distress. It can and will occupy burrows sometimes. It is a solitary animal except during mating season when males and females will gather for breeding.
[edit] Food
Vegetation found in and around its habitat is where the Japanese Hare gets most of its nutrients. Grasses, shrubs, and bushes are all eaten by the hare. The Japanese Hare is one of the few hares that will eat the bark off of trees and it does so occasionally which can cause major damage to trees and forests.
[edit] Human interaction and impact
The Japanese Hare populations seem to be stable. It is so stable in some place that it has become a nuisance animal in the regions that it inhabits. It is hunted in certain regions for food, fur, pelts, and to help curb its growing numbers in the places it lives in.
[edit] Subspecies
There are four subspecies of this hare:
- Lepus brachyurus brachyurus
- Lepus brachyurus angustidens
- Lepus brachyurus lyoni
- Lepus brachyurus okiensis
[edit] References
- ^ Hoffmann, Robert S.; Andrew T. Smith (2005-11-16). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 196. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ^ Lagomorph Specialist Group (1996). Lepus brachyurus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-06-12. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
