Hare vs Rabbit: What's the Difference?
Hares are bigger, with longer ears and long hind legs. They live alone above ground rather than in burrows, and their young are born furred with open eyes. The hare lives in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa; the rabbit is found worldwide.
Quick answers
They differ on 3 of the 8 quick answers: domesticated, awake when, kept as a pet.
| Question | Hare | Rabbit |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | No, herbivore | No, herbivore |
| Dangerous? | No | No |
| Domesticated? differs | No | Yes |
| Awake when? differs | Night | Day & night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? differs | No | Commonly |
| Do people eat it? | Yes | Yes |
At a glance
| Question | Hare | Rabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Europe, Asia, North America, Africa | Worldwide |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Farmland, Scrub, Polar | Grassland, Scrub, Farmland |
| Size | Small | Small |
| Length differs | 60–75 cm (brown hare) | 38–50 cm (wild) |
| Weight differs | 3–5 kg (brown hare) | 1.5–2.5 kg (wild; pet breeds vary) |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives differs | Alone | In groups |
| Lives for differs | 3–4 years | 8–12 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Hare
Long-legged relatives of rabbits that live above ground and rely on speed, not burrows, to escape. North America’s “jackrabbits” are really hares.
Rabbit
Every pet and farmed rabbit belongs to one species, the European rabbit. In the wild it lives in groups in underground burrow networks called warrens.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Hare
- Animal Diversity Web: Lepus europaeus (brown hare)
- Wikipedia: European rabbit
- Animal Diversity Web: Oryctolagus cuniculus
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.