All About Bunnies | 300 Seconds of Science

General Manager: Juan Contreras

Producer: Nicole Maxhimer

Author: Kyle Reynolds

What’s up everyone, this is Kyle Reynolds and welcome to a special segment of 300 Seconds of Science, Quarantine Blog edition! I guess that means this could be longer or shorter than 300 seconds, depending on how fast you read.

This week, I wanted to get into the holiday spirit and talk about bunnies! Unfortunately, I’m not talking about the kind that hides eggs filled with chocolate in your back yard. There just doesn’t seem to be quite enough research on that one yet. This blog will be about the rabbits that you’ve probably seen in your yard every other day of the year. Some of you may even have one as a pet! Without further ado, let’s jump into it!

Rabbits are a common mammal that live in most places in the world. Many people would consider rabbits a rodent, but this is not the case! The main distinction between rabbits and rodents is that rabbits have an extra set of incisor front teeth that rodents do not possess. Like rodents, however, rabbits come in many different shapes and sizes depending on their location and environment.

One of the trademark features of the rabbit is its impressive legs. These powerful legs can allow rabbits to jump up to 3 feet in the air and run up to 45 miles per hour! Another stand-out is their signature long ears.

These ears allow the rabbit to hear in almost all directions at the same time, which could be lifesaving when on the lookout for predators. The ears also provide thermoregulation for the rabbit to either warm it up or cool it down, since rabbits do not sweat or pant like some other mammals.

A close, yet distinct relative of the rabbit is the hare. Hares can appear very similar to rabbits, but usually are much larger and stronger than them. Many hares are mistakenly names after rabbits, such as the jackrabbit. Hare’s larger, more athletic body shapes allow them to live in environments with harsher conditions where the food chain is more competitive.

While rabbits are mostly docile and avoid larger animals at all costs, hares can stand up to some would-be predators and are more aggressive. Another difference between hares and rabbits are their offspring. Baby rabbits are born hairless and blind and depend entirely on their parents for survival early on. Baby hares are born with sight and can walk hours after they are born, to increase survivability in their more extreme environments.

Rabbits and hares are both experts at adapting to their environment.

Due to their short lifespans and a large number of offspring each breeding season, they are able to survive in healthy numbers despite their large number of natural predators. One of the best examples of this is the snowshoe hare. The snowshoe is able to change the colors of its fur between white and brown depending on the season and thereby adopting its natural camouflage in its forest floor home. These hares and their changing fur are discussed in science classes all over as a textbook example of adaption.

For a great video from The Cleveland Museum of Natural History that explains this in more detail check out “Creature Feature: Snowshoe Hares”

While this changing color is a fascinating way for a creature to protect itself, it doesn’t always work out in the snowshoe’s favor. If the weather or climate is inconsistent in the area where the hare lives, its color could not match its environment and make it even more visible to predators. For example, an early spring that melts all the snow before the snowshoe’s fur changes completely could result in a partially or fully white rabbit against a grayish-brown temperate forest floor, making the hare its own target.

As you may have guessed by now, both rabbits and hares find themselves low on the food chain, with rabbits even more so. Most traits possessed by these creatures are entirely for the purpose of surviving its numerous predators. Wolves, owls and other large raptors, some reptiles and even domesticated dogs and cats all pose a threat to the common wild rabbit’s existence. Throughout all this strife, rabbits have unintentionally found themselves one saving grace over the years: they’re incredibly cute! It may sound like a joke, but rabbits’ adorable appearance has made them popular pets over the years. Humans’ domestication of rabbits has expanded and diversified the species even further through breeding.

Watch a great video from Animal Planet on how to care for rabbits as pets “Pets 101- Rabbits”

Well, that’s all for now. Did you learn something about rabbits or the hare family that you may not have known before? Maybe you’re even considering adopting a pet rabbit of your very own? In any case, all of us at ZTV’s 300 Seconds of Science hope you are all doing well and staying healthy. If you want to learn more about Science head on over to our youtube channel. While you're at it don't forget to give us a like on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and send us some love on Instagram. Once again, this is Kyle Reynolds letting you know that even when you can’t go out, you can still enjoy life and stay curious!