Long ears of Black-tailed Jackrabbit enable it to stay cool in hot desert. Blood circulating through the ears radiates heat.

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Black tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus Anza Borrego Desert State Park California United States 7 May Adult Leporidae The long ears of jackrabbits serve as radiators - blood circulating close to the large surface area of the ears radiates heat away, then the cooled blood returns to the body. This allows jackrabbits to be active even during the hottest desert days.

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Size: 3535px × 5300px
Photo credit: © Rick & Nora Bowers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, barren, cooling, cute, desert, dry, ear, ears, extreme, fur, habitat, hare, horizontal, jackrabbit, lagimorph, long, mammal, nature, physiology, rabbit, radiate, radiation, temperature, wildlife