# How Long Do Hares Live?

> Hare lifespan is typically 3–4 years wild (up to 12). What shortens or extends life, life stages, and status (Least Concern).

- **Species:** Hare (*Lepus europaeus*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Herbivore (grasses, herbs, crops, bark)
- **Habitat:** Open farmland, grassland, meadows
- **Lifespan:** 3–4 years wild (up to 12)
- **Top speed:** 70 km/h (43 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hare/how-long-do-hare-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hare/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The European brown hare is a large, fast relative of the rabbit, with very long black-tipped ears, powerful hind legs, and amber eyes. Unlike rabbits, hares live above ground in shallow scrapes called forms and their young are born fully furred with open eyes. Brown hares can sprint up to about 70 km/h (43 mph), making them one of the fastest land mammals in Britain.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a prognosis for one named animal. This page is a species lifespan range.

## Built for speed

The brown hare relies on speed and stamina rather than burrows to escape danger. Its long, muscular hind legs let it reach around 70 km/h and twist sharply at full pace, and its huge ears give excellent hearing and help shed heat. When a predator is near, a hare often freezes flat against the ground, trusting its camouflage before exploding into a sprint.

## Help protect the Hare

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hare/how-long-do-hare-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.