the.com/jackrabbit
not a rabbit at all, just a hare with a sprinter's contract and trust issues
means A large North American hare with very long ears and powerful hind legs, known for explosive, zigzagging bursts of speed.
from A shortening of "jackass-rabbit," the nickname early settlers gave the animal for its absurdly long, donkey-like ears. The full form is documented in 19th-century American usage — Mark Twain among others wrote it down — and over time the "-ass" dropped away, leaving just "jack" welded to "rabbit." So the name quietly insists it's a rabbit, while the creature itself is biologically a hare.
- top speed
- clocks 40 mph and leaps 10 feet
- misnomer
- actually a hare, born furry and ready to run
- radiator ears
- huge ears dump body heat in the desert
- zigzag escape
- changes direction mid-sprint to dodge predators
- the name
- called jackass rabbit for its donkey-like ears
black-tailed jackrabbit — found across western north america from canada to mexico, can reach speeds of 35 mph
white-tailed jackrabbit — inhabits northern great plains and rocky mountains, turns white in winter for camouflage
jackrabbit homestead nevada — ghost town in nye county, nevada, named after the abundant jackrabbits in the area