We have heard the story of the race between a hard-working tortoise and a lazy rabbit. Or was it a hares? We use these words interchangeably quite often because both look alike. However, they are not the same and there are some differences between them.
One of the most important distinctions between rabbits and hares is that while hares are wild and have not been domesticated at all; one rabbit species has been domesticated. While both animals exist in the wild, people do not keep hares as pets.
Rabbit babies are born blind and without fur, while the babies of hares are born with vision and fur. Rabbits live in colonies in underground burrows, while hares build a simple nest and rarely live in groups. The hare is also generally larger and heavier than the rabbit. With its longer hind legs and larger hind feet, it can jump farther than any rabbit and does not tire as quickly. The hare has longer ears than the rabbit and these ears have characteristic black markings. There is a difference in their food habits too. Rabbits prefer soft green foods like stems of grass and other vegetables, while hares prefer to gnaw on hardwood, bark and twigs.
Now, did a rabbit or hare race with the tortoise?
Picture credit: google
