Snowshoe Hare Facts

Snowshoe hares get their curious name from the large size of their hind feet, which protects them from sinking into the snow, when they hop and walk. In addition to this, as natural camouflage, their fur turns white during winters, and brown during summer. The snowshoe hare leaves very interesting tracks in the snow, which are made by its large hind feet and tail. This article will apprise you of the various snowshoe hare facts.

Snowshoe Hare Description
The length of the snowshoe hare ranges from 16'' to 20'' including a tail of about 1.5'' to 2''. The large hind feet are known to measure between 4.6'' to 5.7'' in length, while the ears which are shorter than most hares are between 2.4'' to 2.7'' long from notch to tip. Among the animal species, snowshoe hares, the female is the larger one, and can weigh anywhere between 2 to 4 lbs. The snowshoe hare's soft furry coat is brown in summers. At this time, it has a blackish mid dorsal line, off-white flanks and belly. With the onset of winter, their coat turns snow white, with the exception of black eyelids and ear tips. Their large feet are very furry, especially the soles, to protect them from freezing temperatures. When the snow begins to melt in spring, their coat begins to turn brown, and the complete change takes place over a period of ten weeks.

Snowshoe Hare Habitat
Snowshoe hare habitat comprises fence rows, open fields, swamps, cedar bogs, riverside thickets and coniferous lowlands. In the world, they can be found throughout Canada and in northernmost region of the United States, the lower limits being along the Sierras, Rockies, and Appalachian mountain ranges.

Snowshoe Hare Diet
The snowshoe hare's food habits vary. To a large extent they forage on green grasses, bluegrass, forbs, brome, asters, vetches, jewelweed, pussy-toes, wild strawberry, dandelions, daisies, clovers and horsetails. They can be spotted eating new growth of trembling birches, aspen and willows. Through the sparse winter months, they consume buds, twigs, bark, and evergreens. If need be, they have been known to feed on the dead remains of conspecifics. A large amount of the digestion of the snowshoe hare occurs in its hindguts. Thus, all the available nutrients from their food can only be absorbed if it passes through their digestive system twice, which is why they reingest certain feces.

Snowshoe Hare Predators
The known predators of the snowshoe hare are wolves (Canis lupus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), lynx (Lynx canadensis), mink (Neovison vison), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

In order to evade such a long list of predators, they have perfected a number of 'escape' techniques. One of them is to "freeze" in their tracks when a threat is perceived. Given their fantastic summer and winter camouflage, this method is quite effective. Fleeing is another method, their top speeds being about 27 miles per hour, which can be covered in 10 feet leaps! They can also confuse a pursuing predator by skillful changes in direction and vertical leaps.

While it is common for many snowshoe hares to be residing in a given area, they are typically solitary creatures. Much of the day is dedicated to grooming and fitful naps. They are prolific breeders, having two to three litters each year, comprising one to eight young per litter. In the wild, up to 85% of snowshoe hares do not live longer than one year. If you are interested in animal facts, then here is one of the most interesting snowshoe hare facts. In order to escape from predators, they often take an occasional dip or swim, thanks to the fact that they are extremely talented swimmers.