snowshoe hare Lepus americanus
Order Lagomorpha Picas, Cottontails, Rabbits, and Hares
- Animals with tails shorter than the hind foot
- Have noticeably long ears (except picas with round ears)
- Usual form of locomotion is hopping
- All have 2 upper incisors behind the 2 larger outer ones
The snowshoe hare is named such because of the large size of its hind feet and the marks its tail leaves in the snow. The animal’s feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. Its feet also have fur on the soles to protect it from freezing temperatures.
ID traits:
Long ears, long hind legs, soft fur, & short cottony tail. Move by hopping.
Has 2 annual molts: brown in summer; white in winter
Food:
bark & twigs of aspen, willow, alder, & conifers.
Eaten by:
coyote, fox, bobcat, lynx, great horned owls
Habitat:
Conifer forests & wetland thickets in mountains
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- Snowshoe hare
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- Has 2 annuals molts: brown in summer; white in winter
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- Ears scarcely longer than head Underside of tail is brown year-round Long hairy hind feet
