Rabbits & Hares

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The Lagomorpha (from the Latin meaning "having the form of the hare") is the order of mammals containing the rabbits, hares and pika. Globally, there are about 90 lagomorph species, split roughly evenly between the three groups. Britain is host to three members of the Leporidae family: the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus); the brown hare (Lepus europaeus); and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), sometimes also called the Irish or blue hare. Brown hares and rabbits are both introduced species in Britain, with the mountain hare being our only native lagomorph.

Species

Brown hare

Lepus europaeus

A cousin of the rabbit, introduced to Britain by early settlers and once a common site in English farmland, the Brown hare is now an increasingly rare sight.

European rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

A familiar animal in the British countryside, but with a fascinating biology and behaviour that's often overlooked.

Mountain hare

Lepus timidus

Britain's only native lagomorph, the mountain hare is widespread in Ireland, but restricted to the Scottish uplands and the Peak District in England.

No questions exist for this group.

Bibliography

Handbook of the Mammals of Europe: Primates & Lagomorpha - by Klaus Hackländer & Paulo Alves (editors)
Springer Nature Switzerland AG -- 2023 -- ISBN: 978-3-030-34042-1

Lagomorphs: Pikas, Rabbits & Hares of the World - by Andrew Smith, Charlotte Johnston, Paulo Alves & Klaus Hackländer (editors)
Johns Hopkins University Press -- 2018 -- ISBN: 978-1421423401

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