What animal is Judy Hopps in Zootopia?

Judy Hopps is a rabbit in Zootopia.

She comes from Bunnyburrow, a rural community, and grows up determined to become a police officer. Her species is central to her character: Judy is physically smaller than many officers and faces doubts about whether a rabbit can handle police work. She eventually becomes the first rabbit officer in the Zootopia Police Department.

“Rabbit” is the canonical answer, while “hare” is a tempting but incorrect alternative. Rabbits and hares are different animals, and Judy is consistently identified as a rabbit in the film and related character material. She is also sometimes casually called a bunny, but that is an informal term rather than a different answer.

Judy’s partnership with the fox Nick Wilde drives the story. Together they investigate missing predators and uncover a conspiracy involving “Night Howlers,” a plant-based substance used to make predators appear savage. Judy’s journey combines police mystery, family expectations, and the film’s larger themes about prejudice and stereotypes.