This week we’re learning all about the humble Snowshoe Hare. Snowshoe hares get their name from thier feet, not because they act like snowshoes keeping them on top of the snow, but because their feet stay white all year long making them look like they are wearing “snow” shoes.
Hares are part of the family Leporidae which includes both rabbits and hares. Hares and rabbits are actually different species and they differ from each other in a number of significant ways: Hares are larger, have longer ears, and are less social than rabbits. Young hares are born with their eyes open and a full coat of fur and hares live above ground, unlike rabbits which typically have an underground burrow.
The snowshoe hare is found in every province and territory and is the most important small game animal in Canada. Because they are a frequent prey item, snowshoe hares are critical to maintaining the food web in our forests. Snowshoe hares are important prey for many predators including Canada lynx, red fox, coyote, mink, Great Horned Owl, and Northern Goshawk. Hares younger than two weeks of age are primarily killed by squirrels. Although snowshoe hares can live to six years old, very few survive to their second summer of breeding.
I’ve been fortunate to encounter snowshoe hares a number of times though my favourite encounter was with a hare who had molted into his bright white winter coat before the snow had arrived. Fortunately, it snowed the very next day.
Snowshoe hares are primarily herbivores and eat plants, fruit and bark from trees and saplings. They will occasionally scavenge meat from the carcasses of other animals as protein is hard to come by in a plant-based diet.
Snowshoe hares can be a challenge to photograph because they are active primarily between dusk and dawn. If you get one that will sit still long enough for a photo you better be fast because they can leap 3 metres in one bound and run up to 45 km an hour!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s photo story. Tune in next week for more photos and stories from the wilds of Yellowknife!