Vertebrate Zoology: A Tutorial - T. A. Dauda 2014

Multicellular animals
Infraclass Eutheria, or placental mammals
Order Lagomorpha

The order Lagomorpha comprises small- to medium-sized mammals resembling rodents. They differ from rodents primarily in their dental and Stomach anatomy. Lagomorphs possess four upper incisors, with a smaller pair situated directly behind the larger ones. Their stomach Structure is analogous to that of ruminants, and the digestive process closely mirrors that of sheep or cows. The order includes pikas and hares. There are 12 species found in our country.

Hares feature elongated hind legs, long ears, and a short tail, bearing a close resemblance to domestic rabbits. They remain active throughout the year, resting and breeding in bushes or dense grass rather than constructing dedicated burrows or shelters. To evade predators, they employ several strategies: remaining completely motionless even when a pursuer approaches, and fleeing only as a last resort. Some can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h, employing cunning tactics and confusing their tracks while running. They can also defend themselves by lying on their backs and striking out with their powerful hind legs. Another survival mechanism is their fragile Skin and loose fur, which frequently tear away in the Teeth of an attacking predator. Hares reproduce 2 to 5 times a year, with litters ranging from 2 to 8 young. Newborn leverets are born sighted, fully furred, and capable of movement. They grow rapidly, becoming agile and able to feed independently within just a few days. In summer, hares feed on grass; in winter, they subsist on tree bark and small shrub branches, never laying up winter stores. Our country is home to 4 hare species and the wild rabbit.

The mountain hare (snowshoe hare) is widely distributed, absent only in the southwest of the country, Central Asia, and southern Kazakhstan. Its winter coat is snow-white, while the tips of its ears remain black year-round. The European hare (see Fig. 63) occupies a much smaller range, found in the European part of Russia (excluding the north), the Caucasus, and southern Siberia. In winter, its coat turns only partially white, and in the southern regions, it does not change color at all. Central Asia is inhabited by the small tolai hare (desert hare), and the Far East by the Manchurian hare.

The wild rabbit is found near Odessa and Kherson (Ukraine). Its ears and legs are noticeably shorter than those of hares. Wild rabbits inhabit kitchen gardens, orchards, parks, and sea cliffs. They live in colonies, excavating deep burrows with multiple exits where females give birth to 4–7 hairless, blind, deaf, and entirely helpless kits. They become independent only after a month. They breed 3–5 times a year, feeding on herbaceous plants, young shoots, and shrub bark.

Pikas, also known as hay-makers, are small lagomorphs with short ears, tails, and limbs, which frequently emit loud squeaks or whistles. They are distributed across the mountains of Central Asia and Siberia, as well as the steppes of Kazakhstan, Transbaikalia, and the Trans-Volga region. Typically living in colonies, they settle in suitable rock crevices and screes or dig burrows. From the second half of summer, they begin gathering winter provisions by drying plant leaves and stems. Some species, such as the Daurian pika, stack their hay into small piles, while others, like the northern pika, tuck it away into crevices between stones.

In certain regions of our country, hares are of significant commercial importance. Wild rabbits are also harvested, though they cause some damage to agriculture and gardening. Most pikas are considered pests to pastures.