Characteristics
The rabbit's long ears, which can be more than 10 cm long, are probably an adaption for detecting predators. They have large, powerful hind legs. The two front paws have 5 toes. The hind feet have 4 toes.Rabbits have two setss of incisor teeth, one behind the other. This way they can be distinguished from rodents, which they are often confused.Rabbits are hindgut digesters. This means that most of their digestion takes place in their large intestine and cecum. Rabbits are prey animals and are therefore constantly aware of their surroundings. Rabbits have a remarkably wide field of vision, and a good deal of it is devoted to overhead scanning. hey survive predation by burrowing, hopping away in a zig- zag motion, and, if captured, delivering powerful kicks with their hind legs. Their strong teeth allow them to eat and to bite in order to escape a struggle.
Rabbits are clearly distinguished from hares in that rabbits are altricial having young that are born blind and hairless. In contrast, hares are generally born with hair and are able to see. All rabbits except cottontail rabbits live underground in burrows or warrens, while hares live in simple nests above the ground (as do cottontail rabbits), and usually do not live in groups. Hares are generally larger than rabbits, with longer ears, and have black markings on their fur.
