Some catalytic and kinetic properties of pyruvate kinase (PK, EC 2.7.1.40) isolated from the heart and skeletal muscles of rabbits and hares with a 9-16-fold purification were studied. The initial specific activity of the enzyme in hare heart homogenates was 66% and in skeletal muscles 25% as high as in respective rabbit tissues. Temperature optimums and thermostability of PK from hare tissues were higher as compared with those in rabbits. From the comparison of K(M) (S0.5) values it follows that hare skeletal muscle PK exhibits a highest affinity to phosphoenol pyruvate, but lowest to ADP, as compared with rabbit skeletal muscle PK. Moreover, PK from both hare tissues exhibits a positive kinetic cooperativity (Hill coefficient > 1.35) of the phosphoenol pyruvate and ADP binding sites. In contrast to PK from rabbit tissues, the enzyme from the hare heart and muscles PK is presented by its allosteric isoform which might by advantageous under extreme conditions of the hare's habitation.