Wyoming mammals

Black-tailed Jackrabbit in Wyoming

Lepus californicus

Native to Wyoming S5 Secure in Wyoming

Not listed as nonindigenous in Wyoming by USGS NAS; native to its Wyoming range.

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Black-tailed jackrabbit (6785302534)Black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife RefugeJackrabbit2 cropBlack-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) (31100880715)Lepus californicus
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters · Public domainBlack-tailed jackrabbit (6785302534)Photo: William L. Farr · CC BY-SA 4.0Black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife RefugePhoto: Jim Harper · CC BY-SA 2.5Jackrabbit2 cropPhoto: Marshal Hedin from San Diego · CC BY-SA 2.0Black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) (31100880715)Photo: Thomas Schoch · CC BY-SA 3.0Lepus californicus

Black-tailed Jackrabbit in Wyoming, by the numbers

Occasional in Wyoming 67th most recorded of 126 mammals logged in Wyoming

17 occurrence records
17 with iNaturalist photos
May 23, 2026 Last seen in Wyoming

Records from 2000–2026.

When to look for the Black-tailed Jackrabbit in Wyoming

Most sightings fall in May.

17 Wyoming occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence. Based on a small number of dated records; the seasonal pattern may not be representative.

Monthly Wyoming records (table)
MonthRecords
January2
February1
March0
April1
May4
June0
July4
August2
September1
October0
November1
December1

Monthly black-tailed jackrabbit occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Wyoming, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Wyoming, with recorded sightings peaking in May, with a smaller rise in July.

Occurrence map

Where Black-tailed Jackrabbit has been recorded in Wyoming

17 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

17 Wyoming records mapped

Where it's recorded in Wyoming

CountyRecords
Laramie County 10
Sweetwater County 3
Natrona County 2
Goshen County 1
Converse County 1

The complete county distribution, spread across 5 Wyoming counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Black-tailed jackrabbit’s 17 Wyoming records lean to the southeast, with Laramie County holding 10 and Sweetwater County’s sagebrush basins adding 3, open country where this true hare relies on speed and camouflage rather than burrows to survive. Unlike cottontails, jackrabbits never den underground, instead resting in shallow surface forms, which makes them easy to overlook until they bolt.

Records are scattered across the year, with May and July holding 4 each, too few to show a real seasonal pattern. NatureServe ranks the species S5, Secure, in Wyoming, consistent with a hare built for the state’s driest, most open country.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit in other states

Black-tailed Jackrabbit range map (all states)

Black-tailed jackrabbit (6785302534)
Full species profile Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus Size 47–63 cm1.5–2.1 ft Weight 1.3–3.6 kg2.9–7.9 lb Lifespan 2–5 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Wyoming in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries