Leporidae

Leporidae is a family of mammals in the order Lagomorpha that includes rabbits and hares. Together with the related family Ochotonidae (pikas), lepids constitute lagomorphs, sharing distinctive dentition and reproductive traits. Leporidae comprises numerous species distributed across continents, with both burrowing and non-burrowing forms, and includes rabbits that reproduce rapidly and hares that tend to be more solitary and solitary.

Members have an elongated skull, powerful hind limbs, and furred bodies adapted for jumping. A characteristic feature is the upper and sometimes lower pair of incisors that grow continuously, plus a small second pair of peg-like incisors behind the front ones. They lack canines. Their teeth and digestive system support fibrous plant diets via hindgut fermentation; many species practice cecotrophy, reingesting nutrient-rich feces to extract additional nourishment.

Rabbits generally produce altricial young in burrows, while hares give birth to precocial leverets in simple ground nests called forms. Litter sizes vary, and reproductive rates help populations expand rapidly under favorable conditions. Many species are crepuscular or nocturnal, feeding on grasses, forbs, and bark, and they can be gregarious or solitary depending on the species and habitat.

Habitats are broadly distributed, but several species are threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and introduced predators. The European rabbit has had a major ecological impact in regions where introduced, such as Australia, where populations have been managed through control measures. Disease outbreaks such as myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease have also influenced Leporidae populations and management strategies.