snowshoe+hare

by Cal Somers
Snowshoe hares are long-eared mammals with strong hind legs. They are closely related to rabbits (both belong to the family Leporidae), but hares are born fully haired, with open eyes, and can hop about only a few minutes after birth They hop at great speeds on their large, powerful hind legs, in a kangaroo-like fashion. The female hare is called a doe, the male is called a buck, and the baby hare is called a leveret. Most hares live for about a year in the wild; they live for up to 7 years in captivity. . http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/lagomorphs/Hare.shtml

SIZE: Hares vary from 14 to 28 inches (36-71 cm) long; the tail is 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) long. They weigh from 3 to 12 pounds (1-5.5 kg). They have very big, powerful hind legs and big hind feet. The fur of the hare camouflages it; it's color often changes as the seasons change. Fur colors include brown, tan, reddish, gray and white. Hares are not rodents, but like rodents, their two front teeth continue to grow throught their life. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/lagomorphs/Hare.shtml

DIET: Hares are herbivores (plant-eaters). They eat leaves, grasses, bark, and herbs. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/lagomorphs/Hare.shtml

POPULATION: Hares are found worldwide except Antarctica and some ocean islands. They live in almost every climate, including forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra, and mountainous areas. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/lagomorphs/Hare.shtml [|www.hww.ca/~Content/103/Images/snowshoe_map.jpg]

LIFESPAN: In the wild, 85% of snowshoe hares do not live longer than one year. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html

HABITAT: Snowshoe hares are most often found in open fields, fence rows, swamps, riverside thickets, cedar bogs and coniferous lowlands. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html

RANGE: During its active period, a hare may cover up to 0.02 square kilometers of its 0.03 to 0.07 square kilometer home range. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html

OFFSPRING: Young snowshoe hares are precocial. They are born fully furred and able to locomote. The young hide in separate locations during the day, only coming together for 5 to 10 minutes at a time to nurse. The female alone cares for them until they are weaned and disperse, about four weeks after they are born. Groups of males congregate around estrus females, following the females as they move about their home ranges. Mating is polygynandrous (both males and females have multiple mates). http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html

INTERESTING FACTS:


 * Snowshoe hares have acute hearing, which presumably helps them to identify approaching predators. They are not particularly vocal animals, but may make loud squealing sounds when captured. When engaging in aggressive activites, these animals may hiss and snort. Most communication between hares involves thumping the hind feet against the ground. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html


 * Snowshoe hares are experts at escaping predators. Young hares often "freeze" in their tracks when they are alerted to the presence of a predator. Presumably, they are attempting to escape notice by being cryptic. Given the hare's background-matching coloration, this strategy is quite effective. Older hares are more likely to escape predators by fleeing. At top speed a snowshoe hare can travel up to 27 mile per hour. An adult hare can cover up to 10 feet in a single bound. In addition to high speeds, hares employ skillful changes in direction and vertical leaps, which may cause a predator to misjudge the exact position of the animal from one moment to the next. Important predators of snowshoe hares include grey foxes, red foxes, coyotese, wolves, lynx, bobcats, and mink. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html[[image:http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:W2q89X6_d9rt-M:http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/inc/PM-MP/images/lievre-Amerique-snowshoe-hare-knp-0644-31.jpg width="77" height="86" align="left" link="http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/inc/PM-MP/images/lievre-Amerique-snowshoe-hare-knp-0644-31.jpg"]]

The **Snowshoe Hare** (//Lepus americanus//), also called the **Varying Hare**, is a species of [|hare] found in [|North America]. It has the name "snowshoe" because its back feet are so big, it looks as though it is wearing big shoes to walk in the snow. The animal's big feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks.