So today we are talking about how far can a rabbit run in the woods. Basically The first time your rabbit ran around your house or garden, you were amazed at how fast he moved, starting from a spot, making sharp turns before coming to an abrupt stop. They seem to go from 0 to a million miles per hour in a nanosecond. So I studied how fast rabbits run and how they get so fast. And then I measured how fast one of my rabbits could run.
How far can a rabbit run in the woods – How fast do rabbits run?
A rabbit can run at speeds up to 56 km/h. Some breeds of wild hares can run even faster: a hare can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour (72 km/h). Domestic rabbits can run faster than humans: the maximum human speed (Usain Bolt broke the world record in the 100 m) is 27.78 miles per hour (44.72 km/h). Rabbits (unlike hares) cannot maintain speed for a long time – they are sprinters looking for a quick escape to the nearest hole or shelter from a predator.
But how fast will your rabbit be? How do they run? And how do they get so fast? Keep reading to find out more.
How fast do domestic rabbits run?
Wild rabbits can run faster than pets; your survival depends on it. But how fast can your pet rabbit move?
I’ve seen a few numbers online but couldn’t find a reliable source for most of them (many seem to be copying the same source information).
Can a pet rabbit really run 30 miles per hour?
Rabbits jump, not run. While running, the two hind legs leave the ground, lifting the rabbit forward, then the front legs are used together (not together) for extra momentum.
You can see this in action by watching Yoshi’s slow motion as he runs forward.
In fact, it is similar to how other fast animals run, such as the cheetah, which uses its hind legs almost simultaneously.
The jump is so powerful that rabbits can travel up to 10 feet (about 3 m) in a single jump.
How do rabbits run so fast?
Rabbits can reach this speed despite their small size thanks to their powerful hind legs. Rabbits also have muscles that have evolved to allow them to run fast.
How far can a rabbit run in the woods – rabbit muscle fiber
Muscle fibers can be of two types: fast twitch and slow twitch. Slow twitch muscle fibers are good for endurance and endurance tasks. (These types of muscle fibers could help the marathon runner: up to 80% of his muscles contract slowly.
How far can a rabbit run in the woods – More explainedÂ
- Fast twitch muscle fibers are good for speed and acceleration. (These types of muscle fibers can help a sprinter: up to 80% of his muscles are fast twitch.)
- But there are two types of fast twitch muscles: red ones that use oxygen (oxidative fast contractions) and white ones that don’t use it (glycolytic fast contractions). Fast twitching glycolytics are the fastest. [Symbol font].
- Rabbits (unlike hares) have a high proportion of fast twitch glycolytic muscle fibers (up to 50% of the fibers are sources of fast twitch glycolytic fibers).
- Hares have the opposite: they are built for more strength, they have 55% more fast-twitch oxidative fibers.
- This means that rabbits can quickly develop their maximum speed because the muscles in their legs can generate tremendous force almost instantly, but they cannot run very far.
