A hare is a wild animal that looks similar to a rabbit but is actually quite different. Hares are larger, with longer legs and longer ears, built for speed and living in open spaces rather than burrows. While rabbits dig underground homes, hares live above ground and rely on their incredible running ability to escape predators. A hare can sprint up to 45 miles per hour and leap 10 feet in a single bound.

You've probably encountered hares in the famous fable about the Tortoise and the Hare, where the overconfident hare loses a race by stopping to nap. The story captures something real about hares: they're so fast and powerful that it's tempting to think nothing could catch them.

Baby hares are born with their eyes open and a full coat of fur, ready to run within hours. Baby rabbits, by contrast, are born blind and helpless. This difference reflects how each animal survives: rabbits hide in safe burrows while hares must be ready to run from birth.

In early spring, hares are famous for their wild behavior, jumping and “boxing” with each other in fields. This inspired the phrase mad as a March hare, meaning someone acting crazy or unpredictable.