The white-sided jackrabbit, aka Mexican hare, is a species of jackrabbit the hails from central Mexico upwards to parts of southwestern United States. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, and ranching; hunting; trapping; invasive species, that can bring about disease and competition for food from black-tailed jackrabbits; and climate change, that can cause severe droughts and habitat altering storms. The IUCN lists these lagomorphs as Vulnerable. Their population trend is listed as decreasing.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Lepus callotis
Weight: Up to 10 lbs.
Length: Up to 30 inches, plus up to a 4 inch tail
Lifespan: Up to 8 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Their front legs can grow to be up to 6 inches long, while their back legs can grow up to 12 inches long.
2.) There are 2 recognized subspecies: Lepus callotis callotis and Lepus callotis gallardi.
3.) They prefer to dwell among plateaus at high elevations, including the grassy plains of southwestern New Mexico and the open plains habitats of the southern Mexican tableland. These jackrabbits tend to steer clear of hills and mountains.
4.) These jackrabbits are primarily nocturnal (active at night) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).
5.) Breeding season lasts from mid-April – mid-August.
But wait, there’s more on the white-sided jackrabbit!
6.) These lagomorphs can jump upwards of 20 feet horizontally and up to 4 feet vertically.
7.) Females undergo up to a 42 day gestation (pregnancy) that yields up to 2 leverets.
Did you know…?
If confronted by a predator, an individual will leap into the air exposing their white sides and stretching their legs in what is called a deimatic display. Then they will flee at speeds of up to 45 mph!
8.) A female can have multiple litters throughout the breeding season.
9.) Grasses, such as buffalograss, tobosagrass, fiddleneck, wolftail, blue grama, vine mesquite, ring muhly, wooly Indian wheat, and Wright buckwheat are grazed upon daily. They consume upwards of 1 lb. of vegetation per day.
10.) A 2011 study by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish revealed that the main cause of death of these lagomorphs in New Mexico was due to road kill caused by nighttime U.S. Border Patrol traffic.
11.) Bobcats, coyotes, golden eagles, hawks, and owls all prey on the white-sided jackrabbit.
Now a Short White-Sided Jackrabbit Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
Photo credit: Juan Cruzado Cortés
