Indian hare

The Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis), also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent,^[3] and Java. Its habitat in Java is in rocky highlands.

Indian hare
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Lagomorpha
Family:	Leporidae
Genus:	Lepus
Species:	L. nigricollis[2]
Binomial name
Lepus nigricollis[2] F. Cuvier, 1823
Indian hare range (green – native, red – introduced, dark grey – origin uncertain)

Description

The Indian hare has a head and body length of 40–60 cm (16–24 in), long ears, large, well-furred hind feet, and a rather long tail of about 10 cm (3.9 in) and weighs up to 6 kg (13 lb).^{[citation needed]}

Distribution and habitat

The Indian hare inhabits open grassy areas, cultivated plains, semi-arid and arid plains, and hills throughout the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.^{[citation needed]}

Behaviour and ecology

Its activity pattern has been defined as crepuscular and nocturnal.^{[citation needed]}

Introductions

Indian hare in Rajkot

It has been introduced to Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Andaman Islands, Western New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Mayotte, Mauritius and Réunion.^[4]

Taxonomy

There are seven recognized subspecies of Indian hare.

• Lepus nigricollis aryabertensis
• Lepus nigricollis dayanus
• Lepus nigricollis nigricollis
• Lepus nigricollis ruficaudatus
• Lepus nigricollis sadiya
• Lepus nigricollis simcoxi
• Lepus nigricollis singhala