The white-tailed jackrabbit's range extends from the prairies of the midwestern states and Canadian provinces westward to the Rocky Mountains, Cascades and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges and southward to the northern borders of Arizona and New Mexico. The species is typically more solitary than other hares. Young become independent of maternal care at about two months of age. The gestation period may last from 30 to 43 days, depending on environmental factors, and the typical litter size is four or five young. Nests for young are made of grasses and dry leaves and are hidden in vegetation. Breeding season begins in late February and may extend into May, with up to four litters produced per year. Individuals may begin to breed as early as seven months of age. White-tailed jackrabbits are nocturnal herbivores that feed primarily on grasses and forbs and secondarily on shrubs. Home ranges may extend 1.2 to 1.9 miles in diameter. They rest by day in shallow holes dug in the ground at the bases of rocks or shrubs, and in winter, they rest in cavities connected by tunnels beneath the snow. In winter, rabbits descend to sagebrush flats in valley bottoms. White-tailed jackrabbits prefer hilly, bunchgrass sites. Females are larger in body size than males. The rabbit is about two feet long and averages about 8 pounds. In Washington, this jackrabbit is grayish-brown their long ears have black tips and their tail is white. Monofilament recovery and recycling program.
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