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Mammal. Snowshoe hares are quick and agile, able to move as fast as 43 kph (27 mph). They can leap 3 m (10 ft) in one jump and change direction quickly to escape predators. They are also good swimmers. The color of their fur changes with the season for camouflage, from reddish-brown in summer to pure white with black ear tips in winter. Snowshoes, like all hares, are larger than rabbits. The males are slightly smaller than females. They have good hearing but are not very vocal. Most communication between hares involves thumping the ground with their rear legs. Unlike rabbits, they live above ground. |
| Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
| Lepus americanus |
Up to 3 years in the wild |
| Diet |
| Herbivore. In the summer they eat greens, grass, and flowers. In the winter, buds, twigs, and bark. |
| Predators and Threats |
| Many predators including owls, hawks, lynx, coyotes, wolves, foxes, marten, mountain lions, bobcats, weasels, and humans. |
| Habitat |
| Fields, swamps, thickets, woodlands, and other areas with lots of undergrowth; found throughout Canada and northern United States. |
