The European hare (Lepus europaeus), also known as the brown hare, is known for its long, black-tipped ears and fast running - Britain’s fastest land mammal, it can reach speeds of 45mph when evading predators. Thought to have been introduced into the UK in Roman times (or even earlier), the brown hare is now considered native to Europe and also parts of Asia. Generally nocturnal and shy in nature, hares do not dig and burrow into the ground as rabbits do, but instead live their whole lives above ground. A male hare is called a jack, a female is a jill. A hare less than one year old is called a leveret. If you spot brown hares 'boxing' in the fields, it is most likely that you are watching a female warding off the advances of an amorous male, There are 32 species of hare found all over the world, except Antarctica, and are native to Africa, Eurasia, North America, and the Japanese archipelago.
