Arctic Hare

Arctic Hare[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Lagomorpha
Family:	Leporidae
Genus:	Lepus
Species:	L. arcticus
Binomial name
Lepus arcticus Ross, 1819

The arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is a hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. It was once considered^{[citation needed]} a subspecies of the mountain hare, but it is now regarded as a separate species. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep. Arctic hares look like rabbits but have longer ears and can stand up taller, they can live/maintain themselves in cold places unlike rabbits. They can travel together with many other hares, sometimes huddling with dozens or more, but are usually found alone, taking in some cases more than one partner. The arctic hare can run up to 40 miles per hour^[3]. Its top predator is the arctic wolf.

Range

The arctic hare is distributed over the tundra regions of Greenland and the northernmost parts of Canada as well as Alaska. In the far north the hare becomes white during the winter to blend with the snow, similar to the ptarmigan. During the summer months the body and head of the hare turns a gray-brown, to blend in with the mud and rocks, while the legs remain white.

Size

On average arctic hares measure 55–70 cm (22–28 in) long, and weigh about 4–5.5 kg (9–12 lb). It has small ears to reduce its surface area to volume ratio.

Diet

Arctic hares eat mainly woody plants but also dine on buds, berries, leaves and grasses.^[4] In the early summer they eat purple saxifrage. It has a keen sense of smell and may dig for willow twigs under the snow. When eating plants, arctic hares like standing were there is less snow to easily locate twigs or plants that fall of or lie on the ground for them to chew on/ feed on. Although hares are known for eating plants, they can eat meat^[5]. Residents in Baker Lake(Nunavut) also claim that arctic hares eat kitchen scraps through holes in garbage bags.

Females

^[6] Female hares can have up to eight baby hares called leverets. The leverets stay within the mother's home range until they are old enough to survive on their own.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies of this hare:

• Lepus arcticus arcticus
• Lepus arcticus bangsii
• Lepus arcticus groenlandicus
• Lepus arcticus monstrabilis

References