How do rabbits use their powerful hind legs to escape predators?

Rabbits utilize their long, powerful hind legs to perform a form of saltatorial locomotion (hopping) that is essential for evading predators. These limbs, supported by a strengthened pelvic girdle, enable rabbits to achieve high speeds of up to 80 km (50 miles) per hour.1

When chased, rabbits do not simply rely on outdistancing a pursuer; instead, they engage in quick, irregular movements designed to confuse and evade the predator. During this process, the rabbit moves its legs in a vertical plane, which allows for an efficient jumping gait. As a rabbit jumps, it stretches forward and lands on its forefeet; as the forefeet touch the ground, the back flexes, allowing the hind end to rotate forward and downward. The hind feet then touch down lateral to the forefeet, and as the back extends, the rabbit initiates a new jump. This combination of skeletal adaptations and agile movement patterns provides the rabbit with a critical survival mechanism in the face of threats.12