Black-Tailed Jackrabbits
Author: Ray Bowers

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Scientific Name: Lupus califorinicus Common Name: Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Description:
Black-tailed jackrabbits are about 22.6 inches long. They are gray on the upper side of their bodies and are white on the lower side of their bodies. They have a tail that is 3.2 inches long, which is white with a black stripe on the top. The black-tailed jackrabbit has large back feet that are about 5.7 inches long and large ears that are 4.3 inches long. They usually weigh 4.5 pounds.

Geographic Range:
Black-tailed jack rabbits are found from South-central Washington all the way into Mexico, and from California east to Texas. They are found throughout New Mexico in their normal habitat.

Habitat:
The black-tailed jack rabbit is the most common lagomorph (rabbit) found in open grasslands and deserts. It may also be found in open ponderosa pine areas. It is often seen in “greened areas” (areas that have new plant growth) after local rains and near cultivated fields.

Food Web:
Black-tailed jackrabbits graze on grass and herbaceous plants, but they will also eat the buds and bark of woody plants during the winter. They may overgraze if bobcats and coyotes have been eliminated from an area, because there is nobody to eat them. Many predators may prey on black-tailed jack rabbits, although healthy adults are difficult to catch.

Reproduction and Development:
During courtship the male chases the female for long periods of time. 41 to 47 days after mating the female has an average litter of four (may be from 1 to 8) young.

There may be more then one litter per year. The young are born with fur and their eyes are open. They are able to follow their mother soon after birth. Within 10 days they start eating solid food and by 10 weeks they are almost adult size!

Behavior:
Black-tailed jack rabbits are mainly active at night (nocturnal), but they are also active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). They may travel over large distances to find areas with new plant growth (greened areas). When threatened, they can run about 40 mph, but they can't run for very long and they will stop after a short distance to check on whatever is chasing them.

Ecosystem roles:
Black-tailed jack rabbits graze on plants. It is estimated that thirty jack rabbits will eat as much as a sheep. Many predators feed on jack rabbits and predator control can lead to a large increase in the jackrabbit population and they can often overgraze a field of plants.

• Black-tailed jack rabbits host a variety of diseases such as bubonic plague or tularemia, which may be transmitted to people.

References:
Burt, William Henry; and Richard Philip Grossenheider. 1976. A Field Guide to the Mammals, 3rd ed. (Peterson Field Guide Series; no. 5). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 289 p., 47 plates.

Cockrum, E. Lendell; and Yar Petryszyn. 1992. Mammals of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. Tucson: Treasure Chest Publications, 192 p.

Findley, James S. 1987. The Natural History of New Mexican Mammals. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 164 p.

Findley, James S.; Arthur H. Harris; Don E. Wilson; and Clyde Jones. 1975. Mammals of New Mexico. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 360 p.

MacMahon. James A.1985. Deserts. New York: Alfred A Knopf, Inc.

Related Terms: lupus califorinicus