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Lepus townsendii

Bachman, 1839

White-tailed Jackrabbit

G5Secure Found in 56 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100375
Element CodeAMAEB03040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderLagomorpha
FamilyLeporidae
GenusLepus
Other Common Names
Lièvre de Townsend (FR) white-tailed jackrabbit (EN) White-tailed Jack Rabbit (EN)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-04
Change Date1996-11-05
Edition Date1993-10-12
Edition AuthorsGriffin, J., and G. Hammerson
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Larege range in western and central North America; still fairly abundant, with many healthy populations, though has experienced some loss of habitat in eastern part of range.
Range Extent Comments
Primarily Great Basin and northern Great Plains, from Sierra Nevada east to Mississippi River, and from south-central Canada (south-central British Columbia, central Alberta, Saskatchewan, extreme southwestern Ontario) south to northwestern Missouri (formerly), Kansas (formerly), and northern New Mexico. Range expanded eastward and northward with forest clearing and agricultural expansion. Range has contracted in central plains region and in eastern Washington, where habitats have been altered (through climate warming, cultivation, and/or overgrazing) to favor L. CALIFORNICUS. See map in Lim (1987).
Occurrences Comments
Still relatively large number.
Threat Impact Comments
Loss of prairie habitat to agriculture has led to declines in some areas.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Open grasslands and sagebrush plains. At higher elevations found in open areas adjacent to pine forests and in alpine tundra. Rests by day usually in shallow depressions (forms) at base of bush or beside or in cavity in snow. Young are born in a well concealed depression in the ground or in burrows abandoned by other animals.

Ecology

Populations known to fluctuate as drastically as in L. AMERICANUS. Usual population density generally is 2-15 per sq km, but reported at up to 71 (Iowa) and 43 (Minnesota) per sq km. Generally solitary but sometimes aggregates (Lim 1987).

Reproduction

Breeds late February to mid-July in North Dakota; up to 4 litters/year; in north, breeds May-early July; 1 litter/year; gestation lasts 5-6 weeks; litter size 1-11; young independent in about 2 months (Lim 1987).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousAlpineCropland/hedgerow
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaSXYes
AlbertaS5Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
OntarioS1Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoS2Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
NebraskaS3Yes
IdahoS3Yes
NevadaS5Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
KansasSXYes
UtahS3Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
IllinoisSXYes
WyomingS4Yes
MissouriSXYes
North DakotaSNRYes
WisconsinSNAYes
WashingtonS2Yes
South DakotaS4Yes
OregonS2Yes
IowaS3Yes
MontanaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (56)
California (32)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Carson - IcebergStanislaus National Forest56,430
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
Dinkey LakesSierra National Forest34,171
DomeStanislaus National Forest11,085
EbbettsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest255
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Hall Natural AreaInyo National Forest5,236
Hoover - Mt.olsenHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest624
Hoover - NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,574
Hoover - Virginia LksHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,050
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
Iceberg - Mill CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest26,988
Iceberg - RodriquezHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest229
Iceberg - Wolf Ck LkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest175
Jennie LakeSequoia National Forest2,388
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
NightStanislaus National Forest3,173
Raymond PeakStanislaus National Forest3,646
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
SinkardHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,004
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
Table Mtn.Inyo National Forest4,215
Tioga LakeInyo National Forest829
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,822
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
Colorado (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bristol HeadRio Grande NF46,087
Dome PeakRoutt NF35,716
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Italian PeakCaribou-Targhee National Forest141,158
Montana (8)
AreaForestAcres
Crazy MountainGallatin National Forest82,093
Freezeout MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,305
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
Garfield MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest41,891
Italian PeakBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest90,401
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
Mt. Gmt Area HCuster National Forest1,335
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
Nevada (3)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Jarbidge - CottonwoodHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,610
Rose - GalenaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,711
North Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long X DivideDakota Prairie Grasslands10,099
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
Clarkston Mtn.Caribou National Forest7,099
Raft RiverSawtooth National Forest23,969
Wyoming (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Gannett Hills - Spring CreekBridger-Teton National Forest45,462
Salt River RangeBridger-Teton National Forest235,661
Sheep MountainMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,626
South ForkShoshone National Forest64,903
West Slope WindsBridger-Teton National Forest143,252
References (15)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2024. The Mammal Diversity Database (MDD). Online. Available: www.mammaldiversity.org
  2. Armstrong, D. M. 1975. Rocky Mountain mammals. Rocky Mountain Nature Asscoc., Inc. 174 pp.
  3. Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
  4. Best, T. L., and T. H. Henry. 1993a. <i>Lepus alleni</i>. American Society of Mammalogists, Mammalian Species 424:1-8.
  5. Bradley, R.D., L.K. Ammerman, R.J. Baker, L.C. Bradley, J.A. Cook. R.C. Dowler, C. Jones, D.J. Schmidly, F.B. Stangl Jr., R.A. Van den Bussche and B. Würsig. 2014. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2014. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 327:1-28. Available at: http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP327.pdf
  6. Donoho, H.S. 1971. Dispersion and dispersal of white-tailed and black-tailed jackrabbits, Pawnee National Grasslands. US/IBP Grassland Biome Technical Report No. 96, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
  7. French, N. R., R. McBride, and J. Detmer. 1965. Fertility and population density of the black-tailed jackrabbit. Journal of Wildlife Management 29:14-26.
  8. Hearn, B. J., L. B. Keith, and O. J. Rongstad. 1987. Demography and ecology of the arctic hare (<i>Lepus arcticus</i>) in southwestern Newfoundland. Canadian Journal of Zoology 65:852-861.
  9. Jones, J. K., Jr., D. M. Armstrong, R. S. Hoffmann, and C. Jones. 1983. Mammals of the Northern Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska.
  10. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  11. Lechleitner, R. R. 1958. Movements, density, and mortality in a black-tailed jackrabbit population. Journal of Wildlife Management 22:371-384.
  12. Lim, B. K. 1987. <i>Lepus townsendii</i>. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species 288:1-6.
  13. Smith, G. W. 1990. Home range and activity patterns of black-tailed jackrabbits. Great Basin Naturalist 50:249-256.
  14. Tiemeier, O. W. 1965. The black-tailed jackrabbit in Kansas. Kansas State University Agriculture Experimental Station, Manhattan. Contrib. No. 336. 75pp.
  15. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.