Wooly Hare

The most striking body feature of these animals must be their ears. They are always standing upright and seems as though they have been carefully listening to everything you have been saying. Their heads and muzzles are slightly longer than those of their close relatives, Cape Hares. From the nose to the back is slightly wavy and their color varies from yellowish-white to yellowish-brown. During their breeding season, they become active and look for mates throughout the day. Usually, few males follow one female; they feed together and chase each other while sometimes making brief "gu gu" sounds. We will let you guess what these "gu gu" sounds are. In order to attract females, the male jumps in attractive motions in the air. For those with no particular jumping skills, there is another competition too. When males fight they stand on their hind legs and bite or box, and the victor gains the mating privileges. These hares evade predators by outrunning them and the only chance of predators catching them is through surprise. They mark their territory and announce their reproductive status by depositing urine and feces or by leaving their scent on rocks and shrubs. Not necessarily pleasing but certainly effective.