Field Guide/Mammals/Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus (Snowshoe Hare)

Family: Leporidae Size: Total length: 20 in. (508 mm.). Tail Length: 2 in. (50.8 mm.). Weight: 3 lbs. (1.36 kg). Description: The Snowshoe Hare is a medium-sized rabbit. It has a brown coat in the summer, and a white coat during the winter. The soles of its hind legs are densely furred and large, forming the characteristic snowshoe. Similar Species: The Snowshoe Hare is similar to but slightly taller than the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus). Range: Northern species found as far north as Alaska and over most of Canada. Habitat: Dense woodlands and forest bogs. Open fields, fence rows, and coniferous lowlands. Diet: Grass, clover, and ferns in the summer. Bark and twigs in the winter. Also eat their own feces. Activity: Nocturnal. Most active during dawn and dusk during periods of low light. Sleep and groom throughout the day. Reproduction: Mates in February through July. Gestation period of 36 days. Typical litter size of 4 (3-4 litters per year). Weaned at 14-28 days. Polygynandrous (males and females both have multiple mates). Lifespan: 5 years in the wild. Up to 85% do not live longer than 1 year. Notes: Much of the Snowshoe Hare’s digestion occurs in the hindgut. Therefore, to extract all of the available nutrients they will often eat their own feces to cycle their food through a second time. The Snowshoe Hare can run up to 27 MPH and leap 10 ft. in a single bound. Common predators include Coyotes (Canis latrans) Lynxes (Lynx lynx), Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus), and Red-Tailed Hawks (Butao jamaicensis). Snowshow Hare’s are accomplished swimmers and often swim to escape predators (2). Snowshoe Hares have very dramatic population fluctuations over 10-year cycles thought to be accredited to over-grazing. Females are typically larger than males.

Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus