The black-tailed jackrabbit is the largest North American hare. They have long ears, and their tails are black on top and white underneath. Jackrabbits’ powerful rear legs help them leap far and fast—they can reach speeds of up to thirty-five miles per hour, and can leap twenty feet in one jump! They spend their days resting in pastures; at night they graze on cactus, sagebrush, mesquite, grasses, and crop plants such as clover and alfalfa. They have excellent hearing and can sense danger quickly. They don’t drink a lot, since they get most of their water from their food. Jackrabbits can have as many as four litters in a single year. And since there can be as many as eight baby jackrabbits in a litter, their numbers can quickly skyrocket. The babies become independent very quickly, and only nurse for a short time.