Why Are Rabbit's Ears Warm?
Although you might think your pet rabbit has big, warm ears just for beauty's sake, the fact is those wonderful ears serve an important function for the animal's body.
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Description
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Rabbits' outer ears are among the most distinctive in the animal kingdom. They are long, curved and large compared with the rabbit's body. The shape helps the ear gather sound vibrations and transmit them to the internal ear and then to the brain.
Blood Vessels
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The outer ear is rich with blood vessels. If you shine a light through the ear, you'll see a fine network of arteries, veins and capillaries.
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Blood's Job
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The blood vessels allow blood to reach the cells in the ear, bringing them nutrients and oxygen and carrying away wastes.
Carrying Body Heat
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Blood is also an excellent medium for carrying body heat. Blood is warmed within the body as it circulates. Then, when it enters the ear, this warmth radiates outward through the tissues.
Maintaining Body Temperature
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By acting as radiators, the ears help the rabbit maintain a stable body temperature, especially in hot weather. As a result, the rabbit's ears are warm to the touch.
Double-Duty Ears
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So, not only are rabbit ears like satellite dishes for hearing, they're also like car radiators for cooling.
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