Females have a gestation period of roughly one month, and can give birth to up to eight young. They are primarily a northern species that inhabits boreal forests and can also range as far north as the shores of the Arctic Ocean. They have small tails. Hear from champions for greater and safer access to the outdoors as they discuss the potential solutions to address the intersectional issues faced by Black communities. The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), also called the varying hare, or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. [37] In New Brunswick, snowshoe hares consumed northern white-cedar, spruces, American beech (Fagus grandifolia), balsam fir, mountain maple (A. spicatum), and many other species of browse. ), maples, and serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). [19] From 1931 to 1948, the cycle was synchronized within one or two years over most of Canada and Alaska, despite differences in predators and food supplies. [32] In Oregon the average snowshoe hare home range was 14.6 acres (5.9 ha). The hind legs are what give the hare its common name. Although snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), and eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) can look the same, they are a totally different species. What are some physical characteristics of snowshoe hare? Human harvest in Colorado varies widely, upwards of 10,000 annually. Rabbits are born blind and helpless, while hares are born fully furred and ready to run. Snowshoe hares are primarily found in the northern two-thirds of Michigan. Yet, surviving a winter is no easy task in the northern latitudes of North America. ), coyote (Canis latrans), domestic dogs (C. familiaris), domestic cats (Felis catus), wolves (C. lupus), cougars (Puma concolor), great horned owls (Bubo virginianus), barred owls (Strix varia), spotted owls (S. occidentalis), other owls, red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), other hawks (Buteonidae), golden eagles (Aquila chryseatos), and crows and ravens. When hares are plentiful, lynx eat little else and take about two hares every three days. 10 Snowshoe Hare Facts. From its home, the range of a snowshoe hare can be from about 15 to 30 acres. Charles J. Krebs, Rudy Boonstra, Stan Boutin, A.R.E. Its range extends from the shores of the Arctic Ocean south through the higher elevations of the Rocky, Appalachian, and Cascade Mountain ranges. Snowshoe hares are forest-dwellers that prefer the thick cover of brushy undergrowth. This animal is mainly active at night and does not hibernate. Asked by Wiki User. They are shy and secretive and spend most of the day in shallow depressions, called forms, scraped out under clumps of ferns, brush thickets, and downed piles of timber. Snowshoes have been reported also from the Warner Mountains in northeastern California. Also, it usually snows in the mountain. Distribution. [35] In northwest Oregon, summer foods include grasses, clovers (Trifolium spp. You’ll find them in the Appalachian Mountains as well as the Rockies. Clearly, hares have physical attributes and a digestive system that allow hares to forage in such a restricted environment as a northern latitude winter. Giusti, Gregory A.; Schmidt, Robert H.; Timm, Robert M. et al. But some hares can live as long as five years in the wild. Here are a few differences. 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