Thursday

Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)

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Rabbit Diptych
(Fig. 01)
Picture Notes: On 08/16/2013, my friend Harvey Smith and I came upon these black-tailed jackrabbits (Fig. 01), commonly known as the American desert hare, early in the morning as we were headed out into the desert on the outskirts of Goodsprings, Nevada in search of some old abandoned mines. Though I was only able to capture two pictures, we actually observed four or five of these speedy little creatures scrambling along the side of the road in front of us. With ears nearly as long as their hind feet, tipped with a distinctive black patch, combined with a tail that is topped with a black stripe that extends onto its rump, these abundant mammals are quite common in desert areas throughout Nevada and the rest of the western United States. Other than a few birds, a couple of desert chipmunks and the occasional lizard, they were the largest signs of wildlife we spotted all day.