Description: During the winter, snowshoe hares have a think white coat that helps them blend in with the snow. In the spring, they shed their winter coat and grow a thin brown summer coat. This acts as a camouflage among the green and brown shadows on the forest floor. Even though the snowshoe hare has a snowy-white coat for part of the year, it actually gets its name from its feet. The hind feet on a snowshoe hare can be up to seven inches long and webbing between the toes like snowshoes.This allows the hare to stay on top of the snow while running and jumping. This is very important when snowshoe hares are trying to escape predators like foxes, lynx, and raptors. Snowshoe hares can reach speeds up to 30 miles per hour.Habitat: Snowshoe hares are very common in the northern forests of North America. Although once native to the extreme northeast corner of Ohio, snowshoe hares were probably never abundant or widely distributed. It is believed they were extirpated from the state in the early 1900's due to large scale clearing of forest lands.
Reason Endangered: Forests are being destroyed for building and over hunted.
What Can Be Done: Protected by the state of Ohio. Provide a better habitat.
Interesting Facts: They eat grass, clovers and vegetable sprouts in the summer. They eat twigs, bark, buds, fruit and berries in the winter. They can have up to 4 litters per year. They can live up to 1-1.5 years.
For more information on snowshoe hares, click here.
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