Arctic Hare

The arctic hare (Lepus arcticus), or polar rabbit is a species of hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep. Arctic hares look like rabbits but have longer ears and can stand up taller, they can live/maintain themselves in cold places unlike rabbits. They can travel together with many other hares, sometimes huddling with dozens or more, but are usually found alone, taking in some cases more than one partner. The arctic hare can run up to 40 miles (64 km) per hour.^[3] Its predators include Arctic wolf, Arctic fox, and Ermine.^[4]

Range

The arctic hare is distributed over the tundra regions of Greenland and the northernmost parts of Canada. In the far north the hare becomes white during the winter to blend with the snow, similar to the ptarmigan. During the summer months the body and head of the hare turns a gray-brown, to blend in with the mud and rocks, while the legs remain white.

Size

On average arctic hares measure 55–70 cm (22–28 in) long, and weigh about 4–5.5 kg (9–12 lb).

Diet

Arctic hares eat mainly woody plants but also dine on buds, berries, leaves and grasses.^[5] In the early summer they eat purple saxifrage. It has a keen sense of smell and may dig for willow twigs under the snow. When eating plants, arctic hares like standing where there is less snow to easily locate twigs or plants that fall off or lie on the ground for them to chew on/feed on. Although hares are known for eating plants, they can eat meat.^[6]

Breeding

Female hares can have up to eight baby hares called leverets. The leverets stay within the mother's home range until they are old enough to survive on their own.^[7]

Subspecies

There are four subspecies of this hare:

• Lepus arcticus arcticus
• Lepus arcticus bangsii
• Lepus arcticus groenlandicus
• Lepus arcticus monstrabilis

References