JACK RABBITSBy: Isaac and Parker

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introductory paragraph: Main idea

• Paragraph 2: Anatomy/Physical Description

• Paragraph 3: Locomotion[movement]

• Paragraph 4: Diet/Food chain

• Paragraph 5: Habitat

• Paragraph 6: Adaptations

• Paragraph 7: Life cycle

• Paragraph 8: Species survival status

• Paragraph 9: Behavior/something special

• Paragraph 10: Conclusion

• Glossary

• Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Jack rabbits are interesting mammals. The scientific name for jack rabbit is Lepus californicus. Jack rabbits were named after donkeys. Please join me as we journey through the world of jack rabbits.

ANATOMY/PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Jack rabbits can grow up to 3 to 9 pounds. They have long ears and fluffy tails. Jack rabbits are hares. Hares have bigger bodies, legs, and ears than rabbits do. Rabbits and hares look the same except when they are babies. Hares have fluffy coats and rabbits have no fur when they are born.

LOCOMOTION

Jack rabbits travel on ground. Jack rabbits jump and hop. They hop to escape from predators. They can reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour. In one hop a snowshoe hare can jump 15 feet.

DIET / FOOD CHAIN

Jack rabbits eat grass, shrubs and many vegetables. Jack rabbits hate lavender and onion. Jack rabbits are prey to snakes, coyotes, wolverines and many other predators. Most Jack rabbits do not survive predators.

HABITAT

Jack rabbits live on the ground. Jack rabbits don’t live in trees. Jack rabbits live in the desert. Jack rabbits also live in every continent except Antarctica. Jack rabbits live in warrens. You will not see rabbits and hares living together.

ADAPTATIONS

Jack rabbits adapt to the environment by hopping, because of predators. They can hop quickly, up to 50 miles an hour and change directions very fast. They use their sense of hearing to listen to soft sounds. Their fur also helps them to blend in.

LIFE CYCLE

Jack rabbits are born in nests that were made for them by their mothers. Newborns are helpless. Hares have fluffy coats and rabbits have no fur. After three weeks jack rabbits leave their nests. Jack rabbits have big families. Baby rabbits are called kits. Baby hares are called leverets.

SPECIES SURVIVAL STATUS

Jack rabbits are not in danger. Jack rabbits are not becoming extinct. A single pair of jack rabbits can have 80 babies a year. Jack rabbits will be able to stay alive longer.

BEHAVIOR / SOMETHING SPECIAL

Jack rabbits do not chase animals. Jack rabbits do not eat animals. They eat grass. Europeans thought that jack rabbits’ long ears made them look like donkeys so they called them jackass rabbits. Later, they shortened it to jack rabbit. There is also a story from Ireland about why their tails are short:

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There was a man that followed a rabbit and he fell in a hole. Trying to help, the rabbit said “hold on to my tail.” The man got out but the part of the rabbit’s tail broke off.

CONCLUSION

Jack rabbits are interesting animals. Through studying about physical description, movement, diet, habitat, adaptations, life cycle, survival status and behaviors we can learn and understand how jack rabbits live and help them survive and not become extinct.

GLOSSARY

Adaptations - different things to help animals live.

Kit - a baby rabbit.

Leveret - a baby hare.

Predator - animals that eat other animals.

Prey - an animal eaten by another animal.

Warren – a network of underground tunnels and dens built by rabbits.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Green, Jen. Rabbits. Connecticut: Grolier, 2008.

Jackrabbits, Jackrabbit Pictures, Jackrabbit Facts – National Geographic. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/jackrabbit/, 12/3/2013.

Marsico, Katie. How do we live together? Rabbits. Michigan; Cherry Lake Publishing, 2010.

Miller, Sara Swan. Rabbits, Pikas and Hares. New York: Franklin Watts, 2002.

Stewart, Melissa. Rabbits. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008.

Swanson, Diane. Rabbits and Hares. Wisconsin: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2002.

Questions?

THE END