Diet

What does the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit eat?

The black-tailed jackrabbit is a herbivore. They will feed on a range of grasses and herbaceous plants.

Their diet changes seasonally. During summer they feed on grasses while in winter they make use of shrubs.

Black-tailed jackrabbits will eat their food twice. This allows them to extract all of the nutrition possible from their food. They will produce a cecal pellet which is then consumed a second time.

This species is able to gain the vast majority of their water needs from their food.

Learn more about the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit in this video from 4 Guests USA on YouTube

Range

Where do you find the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit?

North America is the native home of the black-tailed jackrabbit. Here they can be found in Mexico and the United States.

They occur naturally within the following states - Montana, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon, Nebraska, Kansas, California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona, Idaho and Utah.

Populations have been formed through introductions in these states - Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida and Virginia. Another recent population expansion has been to Cerralvo Island off the California coast.

Habitat

Where can the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit survive?

These animals are found in forest, savanna, shrubland and grassland habitats.

Jackrabbits make use of burrows unlike other species of hare. Instead of digging their own burrow they will modify the burrow of species such as jackrabbits.

Credit: Public Domain

Reproduction

How does the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit produce its young?

Mating can take place in this species year round in warm climates. In some colder areas they will only breed from February to May. Each year a female may produce as many as four litters.

During the breeding season the males will fight one another.

Each litter includes between three and five fully furred young. These are born after a 46 to 47 day gestation period. Females will form a fur-filled depression in which they can give birth.

Individuals in the north of the range where their is a shorter breeding season they produce larger litters.

At birth the young have well developed eyesight which is used to watch out for threats. Within minutes of birth they are able to run allowing them to move to cover. The mother will regularly move her young so that predators are less likely to find them.

Young are only nursed for three to four days.

Behavior

What does the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit do during its day?

This is a fast-running species which is assisted by their long, powerful hind legs. Over short distances they may reach speeds up to 64km/h (40mph). They are also able to swim using a dog paddling like motion.

Much of their activity occurs at night as their environment is subject to high levels of heat.

Credit: Public Domain

Predators and Threats

What stops the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit from surviving and thriving?

A range of species such as the pumas, bobcats, coyotes, birds of prey such as hawks and eagles and rattlesnakes will prey on the black-tailed jackrabbit.

A recent decrease in control measures for predators has led to more pressure on this species.

During periods of favourable conditions these animals can quickly reproduce and grow their numbers rapidly.

When threatened they will flash the white underside of their tail as a warning to other jackrabbits.

Populations of the black-tailed jackrabbit are in decline.

This species is being threatened by competition with livestock, hunting by introduced predators and declining quality of their habitat and human-induced events in this area.

Small numbers are taken by hunters but this doesn't appear to represent a major threat to their survival. It is rare for this species to be captured for food as they are often infected with parasites.

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Quick facts

This species was originally known as the 'jackass rabbit' which was eventually shortened to 'jackrabbit.'

They were first described for western science during 1837.

Six subspecies of the black-tailed jackrabbit have been recognized.

Credit: Public Domain