Jack Rabbit  Lepus californicus is a large, long-eared rabbit of the open grasslands and desert scrub of the West, with ears that are nearly as long as the hind foot.

Jack Rabbits are true hares because, unlike the cottontailed rabbits, they do not build nests. The mother simply chooses a place to her liking and the young are born fully furred, with their eyes wide open. The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus californicus) is a desert dweller, inhabiting all 4 southwestern deserts.

The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit is 18 to 25 inches long and is colored buff peppered with black above, and white below.

The flesh is excellent eating. In periods of high population, some Black-tailed Jacks, like other game and non-game species, may become diseased and carry tularemia or be a host to common animal parasites. While this is of minor consequence to humans, care should be used in handling or skinning all animals, as some diseases are transmissible through open cuts or abrasions. Cooking thoroughly eliminates any danger.