by Emily Spencer » Wed Jan 25, 2023 7:21 am
The Arctic Hare (
Lepus arcticus) makes its home in the North American tundra. They average a length between 19-20 inches and weigh roughly between 6-15 pounds. In their native environment, they have a lifespan of 3-5 years, although the survival rate is considerably lower in captivity.
Nature has provided these animals with ways of surviving in such a harsh climate. For example, they have extremely thick fur and shortened ears and camouflage themselves with a winter coat of pure white. in the warmer months, their coat changes to blue-grey, again to blend in with their surroundings. Surviving on a winter diet of woody plants, mosses, and lichens, which they obtain by digging in the snow, they have no shortage of food supply. In other seasons they eat buds, berries, leaves, roots, and bark. Occasionally, they do enjoy such delicacies as fish and the stomach contents of eviscerated caribou (yuck!).
Interestingly enough, these animals do not hibernate, although they may burrow together in the snow to keep warm. Known predators of the Arctic hare are the Arctic fox, wolves, ermines, snowy owls, gyrfalcon, rough-legged hawks, and humans. The gyrfalcon is especially brutal, as they often cut them in half first, using their bones and feet in the structure of their nests. Ouch!
Source 1Source 2Source 3
The Arctic Hare ([i]Lepus arcticus[/i]) makes its home in the North American tundra. They average a length between 19-20 inches and weigh roughly between 6-15 pounds. In their native environment, they have a lifespan of 3-5 years, although the survival rate is considerably lower in captivity.
Nature has provided these animals with ways of surviving in such a harsh climate. For example, they have extremely thick fur and shortened ears and camouflage themselves with a winter coat of pure white. in the warmer months, their coat changes to blue-grey, again to blend in with their surroundings. Surviving on a winter diet of woody plants, mosses, and lichens, which they obtain by digging in the snow, they have no shortage of food supply. In other seasons they eat buds, berries, leaves, roots, and bark. Occasionally, they do enjoy such delicacies as fish and the stomach contents of eviscerated caribou (yuck!).
Interestingly enough, these animals do not hibernate, although they may burrow together in the snow to keep warm. Known predators of the Arctic hare are the Arctic fox, wolves, ermines, snowy owls, gyrfalcon, rough-legged hawks, and humans. The gyrfalcon is especially brutal, as they often cut them in half first, using their bones and feet in the structure of their nests. Ouch!
[url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/top-10-cold-weather-animals-and-how-they-thrive]Source 1[/url]
[url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/arctic-hare]Source 2[/url]
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_hare]Source 3[/url]