Re: Why do rabbits have long ears?

Unlike humans, rabbits are unable to sweat through their skin. Unlike dogs, rabbits do not pant either. When the weather is hot, they must lose heat from their body so that they don't die. Rabbits suffer from hot temperature more than humans becasue their body temperature is about 40 degrees Celsius, compared to our 37 degree body temperature.

Rabbits lose heat by circulating blood through a large vein in their ear. The vein's path begins at the base of the ear, travels to the end of the ear, and comes back to the base of the ear again. As the blood in the vein flows to the tip of the ear, it loses heat! Therefore, the longer the ear, the longer the path the blood travels, and the more time the blood has to cool down. This is the most efficient way for rabbits to cool off. Please note that these creatures also lose heat by sweating through their foot pads. However, the pads are so small that this method is only supplementary to the "ear radiator" method. Other animals use this method of cooling off as well. Have you ever noticed that desert animals also have huge ears? Desert foxes and gerbils are a fine example.