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The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks.
The snowshoe hare in its winter coat is well camouflaged among the snow. Other chionophiles can be found on or near the equator and yet still live in freezing temperatures. This is mostly due to their geographical range, such as on high altitude mountains where it can reach very cold temperatures and have less oxygen the higher the altitude.
Snow camouflage is the use of a coloration or pattern for effective camouflage in winter, often combined with a different summer camouflage. Summer patterns are typically disruptively patterned combinations of shades of browns and greys, up to black, while winter patterns are dominated by white to match snowy landscapes.
On a longer timescale, animals like the Arctic hare, Arctic fox, stoat, and rock ptarmigan have snow camouflage, changing their coat colour (by moulting and growing new fur or feathers) from brown or grey in the summer to white in the winter; the Arctic fox is the only species in the dog family to do so. [87]
Arctic hare - In Newfoundland and southern Labrador, the Arctic hare changes its coat color, moulting and growing new fur, from brown or grey in the summer to white in the winter, like some other Arctic animals including ermine and ptarmigan, enabling it to remain camouflaged as the environment changes. [2]
European hare (above) compared with a mountain hare Stuffed mountain hare, showing the winter pelage The mountain hare is a large species, though it is slightly smaller than the European hare . It grows to a length of 45–65 cm (18–26 in), with a tail of 4–8 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 –3 in), and a mass of 2–5.3 kg ( 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 – 11 + 3 ⁄ 4 ...
Snowshoe hare populations are dramatically cyclical, and in peak years there may be up to 600 snowshoe hares per square mi (230/km 2) of the animals' range. [61] The hares are a key food source for Alaska's furbearers, especially lynx, and are also important for human subsistence and recreational hunting. [61] Tundra hare Lepus othus
The Arctic hare [2] (Lepus arcticus) is a species of hare highly adapted to living in the Arctic tundra and other icy biomes. The Arctic hare survives with shortened ears and limbs, a small nose, fat that makes up close to 20% of its body, and a thick coat of fur. It usually digs holes in the ground or under the snow to keep warm and to sleep.