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White-Tailed Jackrabbit
Introduction: The Creature We Take For Granted
The white-tailed jackrabbit is not “breeding like rabbits”, at least not in Wisconsin
anyway. It is a critter that does not awe most people. We take it for granted, like most small
mammals. The white-tailed jackrabbit does not have the intelligence of the ape, the power
of the bear, and is certainly a lot less grand than a moose. However, unlike the Eastern Grey
Squirrel or the North American Raccoon though, the white-tailed jackrabbit has become very
rare in Wisconsin. Its loss means an important loss of food for several predators. It may also
have many roles in its habitat that are not yet known. The truth is the white-tailed jackrabbit
seems to have disappeared from Wisconsin, and there is very little modern data to show
where it may still remain.
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Diffrence Between Baby
Rabbits and Hares
Rabbits
Hares
• Blind
• Can see
• Hairless
• Unable to
move
• Fully Furred
• Can move
shortly after
birth
Tomato Tomatoe
The words rabbit and hare are often used
interchangeably because they have similar physical
characteristics. Hares and rabbits belong to the same
order and family but are different genus and species. The
difference is mainly that of their young. Rabbits give birth
to blind, helpless, hairless babies that look more like a
mole than a furry forest creature. Baby hares are born
already able to move and see1.
Habitat
The white-tailed jackrabbit likes
open spaces. Its common habitats are
grasslands, plowed fields and marshy areas
1
. In Wisconsin, the white-tailed jackrabbit
formally lived in an area covering most of
the southwest portion of the state. The
greatest probability of spotting one today
is in the Central Sand Plains Landscape
(Fig. 1)2. The white tailed- jackrabbit is far
more common in Western States due to
abundant grassland habitat. The range of
the jackrabbit also covers most of Montana,
Washington and the Prairie Provinces of
Canada 1.
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Habitat Main Points
• Likes prairies, but will settle for a
farm field or marsh
• Best location for spotting in
Wisconsin is the Central Plains
Landscape
• More numerous in states west of
the Mississippi River
Preferred Habitat of the white-tailed
jackrabbit. Photo by: Robert Lawton
Fig. 1. Counties and cities of the Central Plains Landscape
Data from ftp://gomapout.dnr.state.wi.us/ of the WDNR
Fig. 2. The Central Plains Landscape in Wisconsin
Its big and its fast: Physical Characteristics of the White-Tailed Jackrabbit
Identifying the adult white-tailed jackrabbit is easy. A mature white-tailed jackrabbit
is a big bunny. Some tip the scale at over nine pounds, and can reach a length of two feet.
Snowshoe hares normally only weigh in at four pounds and reach a foot-and-a-half in length 1.
Be aware though. Like most hares and rabbits, the white-tailed jackrabbit does not like to be
in the spotlight. Trying to chase one will require more power than any legs are built to handle.
The average white-tailed jackrabbit can reach average speeds of over 35 mph3!
Black Tipped Ears
Fa
d
in
e
g
White Tailed
W
hit
eU
nd
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sid
Bu
ffy
Gr
ey
Co
l
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ed
To
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Fig 2: Appearance of the White Tailed Jackrabbit. Photo Copyright Greg Lasley
The mature white-tailed jackrabbit has a grey topside (Fig 2). As the eye approaches
Greg
Lasleyin lightness. The lightness grades to white towards
the stomach Photo
there isCopyright
a noticeable
change
the belly. Their big ears are grey in the front and white on the backside. Capping the ears are
tips of black 3. In the winter the animal can turn almost completely white much like that of
the snowshoe hare4. Their difference in habitat makes them identifiable in this circumstance.
snowshoe hairs like wooded areas, not prairies like the white-tailed jackrabbit.
No Time Wasted at Birth
White-tailed jackrabbits do not take a long time giving birth. Most mothers
do so thirty to forty-three days after mating. There is no nest made. The litter of up
to 6 young is ready to move around as soon as the mother is. In southern regions of
the United States the jackrabbit can breed often with some averaging four litters per
year. Because of harsh winters in Wisconsin, the white-tailed jackrabbits have one
litter a year 4.
Diet and Predators
The white-tailed jackrabbit
has a simple diet. During the
summer months the rabbit
eats green vegetation such as
clover, grasses, forbes and field
crops. During the winter when
green vegetation is absent from
its habitat, the rabbit needs to
scrounge. The rabbits will eat
dried and dead vegetation, buds,
twigs and bark.
The most obvious natural
role for the jackrabbit is being
prey. The animal is a very
important source of food for many
predators such as the coyote2
(Fig. 3). Besides natural predation
and disease many white-tailed
jackrabbits fall prey to the steel
predator we call the automobile5.
Figure 3: The white-tailed jackrabbits role in its environment, also
called its niche. Graphic by Eric Craft
Data Data Data… Scientists love Data
The Wisconsin DNR does not decide policy on a whim. Policy is based upon scientific
evidence. Such is used to designate a Species of Greatest Conservation need or SGCN.
Although some evidence is weaker than others.
An ideal situation for assessing a species is numerous studies where accurate data can be
extrapolated. The best of these studies would be ones performed within the state of Wisconsin
itself. These studies would also be only a few years old. The studies consulted for the whitetailed jackrabbit are far from this ideal. Three main drawbacks occur through nearly all of the
studies:
1. Most of the studies are from out of state, such as the plains states, where white-tailed
jackrabbits are numerous. They do not take into account the habitat properties of
Wisconsin. The preferred habitat of the white-tailed jackrabbit in North Dakota is different
than its habitat of Wisconsin. While similar the states have different climates, development,
and a whole slew of other conflicting locations.
2. Much of the data consulted about the white-tailed jackrabbit is over twenty years old. One
Wisconsin study is from the 1940s6. A lot of potential change in habitat and the species
itself can occur in such a long span of decades.
3. There are inconsistencies in the data of the same topic. Different studies show different
ranges for gestation periods, density per acre and so forth. The long span of time between
studies makes the inconsistencies even more noticeable.
Scorecard: When having a high test grade is bad
So the information received is not the greatest. But scientists must use what they have
in the short amount of time they are given. Getting on the Species of Greatest Conservation
Need is like qualifying for the honor role at school. You need a high enough grade point
average to qualify. Likewise, to be on the SGBN a species needs a high score from several
factors such as, rarity, habitat role, population and so fourth 7.
That is where the honor role similarity ends. Having a high score in this school means you are
in trouble.they could be very rare, their habitat may be threatened, or other problems. Further
studies are needed to see what action needs to be taken to see what needs to be done. This
can be from better management, to being listed as a protected species9.
So what does the scorecard say
about the white-tailed jackrabbit?
The scorecard says that the whitetailed jackrabbit has vanished from
Wisconsin, and no one really knows why. In
all of its years of existence in the state, the
only population counts came from game kills8.
It seems that the white-tailed jackrabbit’s
heyday was in the 1950s. In that decade its
population within Wisconsin was estimated
at about 80,0001.
Now the population estimates hover
from almost nothing to very rare. Some
even consider it an extirpated species1. This
means that while it exists in other parts of its
range, in Wisconsin it no longer lives. Though,
scattered reports arise every so often to
confirm at least it has a rare state presence.
The last sighting occurred in 20068.
So why has the white-tailed jackrabbit
hopped away from Wisconsin? Truthfully
no one really knows. The scorecard also
indicates an uncertain population trend
throughout its entire range3. No one knows
if the species is thriving or dying. Habitat
reduction due to the regrowth of forests and
the disappearance of farm land are two major
reasons researchers believe the white-tailed
jackrabbit is disappearing. No evidence has
been gathered to show its disappearance
to be just unique to this state or a more
worrisome trend throughout its range.
More importantly, within Wisconsin nothing
is known about its role its habitat. Other than
the vague term of prey, what service does
this animal provide? Could it be a potentially
important species for these ecosystems?
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The White-Tailed Jackrabbit
Scorecard
• On the SGCN mainly due to
extreme rarity
• Very little is known about the
animal
• Sporadic signtings occur
So why is NatureMapping so
important?
Such little information on the white-tailed
jackrabbit means further studies must be done.
These studies need to be exact, up to date, and
need to minimize inconsistency. The problem is
that if it remains in the state, where exactly do
they live?
Imagine a math test that asks you
to answer a question without giving the
appropriate equation. It is not possible to
answer such a question. Location is the
essential equation in studies of the whitetailed jackrabbit. Without this vital equation
no studies can be performed because no one
knows where they are. NatureMapping is the
central element to the equation. There is never
enough funding around for the WDNR to have
its scientists scour the state for white-tailed
jackrabbits to study. The citizen scientist is
needed to carry out this vital task. Who knows…
In its own way the white-tailed jackrabbit may
thank you for it.
Conclusion
The Jackrabbit, like most small forest creatures has been taken for granted. Its sudden
disappearance is a complete mystery. It is indeed a testament for the need of Natureapping
and observation. If information about the White-Tailed Jackrabbit can be produced, more
conservation actions can be taken by the State of Wisconsin.
Works Cited
1. Long, Charles A. 2008. The Wild Mammals of Wisconsin. Sofia, Bulgaria; Pensoft Publishers.
2. [Modified 2006]. White-tailed Jackrabbit Species Profile: Ecological Landscape Associations
[Internet]. Madison (WI): Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; c2005 [Cited 2009
May 10]. Available from; http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/wwap/explore/profiles.as
p?mode=detail&species=AMAEB03040&section=landscape
3. Whitaker Jr., John O. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals.
1996. New York: Chanticleer Press, Inc; 1996.
4. Whitaker Jr., John O.; Hamilton Jr., William J. Mammals of the Eastern United States. New
York: Comstock Publishing Associates.
5. Wise, Sherry. The White-Tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsedi). Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources Bureau of Wildlife Management (WI): 1989. Report No. :PUBL-WM-142
89 8641. Available from: W.D. McIntyre library, Eau Claire, WI.
6. Leopold A. The Distribution of Wisconsin Hares. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of
Sciences Arts and Letters. 1945; 37:1-14
7. Wildlife Action Plan [Internet]. Madison (WI). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources;
c2006 [Cited 2009 May 10]. Available from; http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/wwap/
8. Kitchell, Jessica. Annual Mammal Survey 2006 [Internet]. Madison (WI). Wisconsin EcoAtlas
(US); c2006 [Cited 2009 May 10]. Available from; http://wiatri.net/ecoatlas/ReportFiles/296
AnnualMammalReport06.pdf
Note: As Stated in the article, some of this information is over a decade old, and while accurate
in behaviors of the White-Tailed Jackrabbit, there data about its population may not be.
For Further Reading...
1. Lim KB. Lepus townsendii. American society of Mammalogist [Internet]. 1987 [Cited 2009
May 10]; 288: 1-6. Available from; http://www.jstor.org/stable/3504001.
2. James TR, Seabloom RW. Biology of the White-Tailed Jackrabbit in North Dakota. The
Journal of Wildlife Management [Internet]. c1969 [Cited 2009 April 8];33 (3): 558-568.
Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3799378. Document No. 399378
3. Rogowitz GL. Reproduction of White- tailed Jackrabbits on semi- Arid Range. The Journal of
Wildlife Management [Internet]. c1992 [cited 2009 April 8] 56 (4): 676-684. Jstor. Lawrence.
Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3809460. Document No. 3809460
4. California Interagency Wildlife Taskgroup (CA). White-tailed Jackrabbit. Life History Accounts
and Range Maps -California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System. Sacramento (CA):
California Department of Fish and Game; 2005 [cited 2009 April 8]. Available from: http://
www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/cawildlife.aspx.