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What the sources say

European HareLepus europaeus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the European Hare profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 40 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web

Lepus europaeus. Animal Diversity Web.

The page saysMom parks her furry newborns apart and makes the rounds to nurse them.
The source saysLeverets are precocial at birth, with long and silky fur (Peterson, 1966). To protect leverets, the mother disperses them over a moderately wide area to avoid predation on the whole litter. The mother then makes the rounds to nurse themNote: tagline
The page saysOpen fields and pastures bordered by hedgerows and woodlots, often beside farm crops
The source saysEuropean hares prefer open fields and pastures bordered by hedgerows and woodlots, often around agriculture fields and crops.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysnative from western Europe to Central Asia
The source saysThe natural distribution of European hares includes Great Britain and western Europe, east to through the Middle East to Central AsiaNote: stats.habitat
The page saysGrasses, herbs and field crops in summer
The source saysEuropean hares are herbivorous, eating grasses, herbs, and field crops during summer.Note: stats.diet
The page saystwigs, buds and bark in winter
The source saysDuring winter European hares feed on twigs, buds, shrub bark, small trees, and young fruit tree bark.Note: stats.diet
The page saysLeverets are born furred and well developed, then spread over a moderately wide area to avoid predation on the whole litter
The source saysLeverets are precocial at birth, with long and silky fur ... the mother disperses them over a moderately wide area to avoid predation on the whole litterNote: stats.superpower
The page saysBaby European hares are called leverets, and they arrive precocial, a word for young that are well developed at birth. Their fur is already long and silky.
The source saysThe young, called leverets, ... Leverets are precocial at birth, with long and silky furNote: precocial glossed from ADW glossary: young are relatively well-developed when born
The page saysThe mother scatters them across a fairly wide patch, so a predator is less likely to find the whole litter, then goes from one to the next to feed them.
The source saysthe mother disperses them over a moderately wide area to avoid predation on the whole litter. The mother then makes the rounds to nurse them
The page saysA litter holds 1 to 8 leverets, 3 to 5 on average
The source saysLitter size varies between 1 and 8, the average being 3 to 5
The page saysa female has two to several litters a season
The source saysThere are two to several litters a season.
The page saysPregnancy lasts 30 to 42 days
The source saysThe gestation period is between 30 and 42 days
The page saysthe breeding season runs from midwinter (January or February) to midsummer
The source saysThe breeding season for L. europaeus is between midwinter (January/February) and midsummer.
The page saysLeverets reach sexual maturity at eight months to a year.
The source saysreach sexual maturity at eight months to a year in age
The page saysBy day a hare crouches in a dip in the ground called a form, partly hidden, with its back on show.
The source saysDuring the day they crouch in a depression called a 'form', partially concealed with their back showing
The page saysEuropean hares mostly live alone outside the mating season, and they do most of their feeding at night, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The source saysEuropean hares are mainly solitary animals except during mating season. They are crepuscular and nocturnal, mostly foraging at night (between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.)
The page saysThe coat is yellowish-brown to greyish-brown with a greyish-white underbody, and the long ears have black tips.
The source saysThey have long ears with black tips ... The pelage is yellowish-brown to greyish-brown, with a greyish-white underbody.
The page saysIt has an excellent sense of sight, smell and hearing.
The source saysEuropean hares posess an excellent sense of sight, smell, and hearing.
The page saysFaced with a predator, a hare flees, and when it has to it can dodge and switch direction fast.
The source saysUpon detection of a predator, European hares will run to escape, and can dodge and change direction quickly if needed.
The page saysIf needed it will also plunge into a stream, since European hares are decent swimmers.
The source saysThey will also dive into streams if needed as they are decent swimmers
The page saysThe known predators include red foxes, larger hawks and owls.
The source saysKnown predators include red foxes, wolves, coyotes (in their introduced range in North America), wild cats, larger hawks, and owls
The page saysEuropean hares commonly swallow their own soft, green droppings a second time, a habit called coprophagia.
The source saysThey also commonly re-ingest their green, soft fecal pellets. This is known as coprophagia.
The page saysSummer meals are grasses, herbs and field crops. Winter switches the diet to twigs, buds, small trees and the bark of shrubs and young fruit trees.
The source sayseating grasses, herbs, and field crops during summer. During winter European hares feed on twigs, buds, shrub bark, small trees, and young fruit tree bark.
The page saysJust two or three adults put away as much greenery as a sheep does.
The source saysTwo or three adult L. europaeus can eat as much vegetation as one sheep
The page saysPeople introduced the hare to Argentina and Australia, where it is a huge pest and its arrival was an agricultural disaster.
The source saysIn other countries such as Australia and Argentina, L. europaeus is a huge pest, with introduction resulting in agricultural disaster
The page saysIt breeds quickly and wrecks farmland, especially young apple orchards.
The source saysThe problem lies in its quick reproduction and devastation to agriculture, especially young apple orchards
The page saysAn adult weighs 3 to 5 kg
The source saysRange mass 3 to 5 kg
The page saysmeasures 600 to 750 mm in total length, with an average of 680 mm
The source saysTotal length: 600-750 (average 680) mm
The page saysIts home turf stretches from Great Britain and western Europe across the Middle East to Central Asia.
The source saysThe natural distribution of European hares includes Great Britain and western Europe, east to through the Middle East to Central Asia
The page saysPeople brought the species to Canada, the United States, South America and Australia
The source saysThey have been introduced by humans to several other continents. In Canada, Lepus europaeus is found in southern Ontario ... In the United States, European hares are now found in the north-eastern states ... They have also been introduced to areas of South and Central America (Bonino and Montenegro, 1997) and Australia.
The page saysOntario's hares came from Germany in 1912
The source saysit was introduced to Ontario in 1912, from Germany
The page saysAdults range from 3 to 5 kg. Measured from nose to tail tip, they run 600 to 750 mm.
The source saysRange mass 3 to 5 kg ... Range length 600 to 750 mm
The page saysLeverets are born with fur and well developed. Their mother spreads them out to lower the risk of a predator taking the whole litter, and travels between them to nurse them.
The source saysLeverets are precocial at birth, with long and silky fur ... the mother disperses them over a moderately wide area to avoid predation on the whole litter. The mother then makes the rounds to nurse them
The page saysFaced with a predator, a European hare runs, and can dodge and change direction quickly
The source saysUpon detection of a predator, European hares will run to escape, and can dodge and change direction quickly if needed.Note: vibe.reason

Source
02

Human Ageing Genomic Resources, AnAge

AnAge entry for Lepus europaeus. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, AnAge.

The page saysThe AnAge database lists an average adult weight of 4,175 g.
The source saysLife history traits (averages) ... Adult weight 4,175 g
The page saysAnAge's maximum longevity record is about 10.7 years in captivity, from a hare born in the wild.
The source saysMaximum longevity 10.7 years (captivity) ... One wild born specimen was about 10.7 years of age when it died in captivity
The page saysThe database also cites an estimate of up to 10.7 years in the wild, and calls it doubtful.
The source saysIt has been estimated that these animals live up to 10.7 years in the wild [ 0542 ], which is doubtful.
The page saysThe longest life on AnAge's record is about 10.7 years in captivity, reached by a hare born in the wild. AnAge doubts an estimate that wild hares live up to 10.7 years.
The source saysIt has been estimated that these animals live up to 10.7 years in the wild [ 0542 ], which is doubtful. One wild born specimen was about 10.7 years of age when it died in captivity
The page saysweightKg: 4.175
The source saysAdult weight 4,175 gNote: typical adult mass

Source
03

Hackländer 2025

Hackländer (2025). Lepus europaeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T41280A217911459.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: conservationStatus; GBIF's copy of the Red List, taxon 41280, checked against the assessment DOI
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.