(LEPUS AMERICANUS VIRGINIANUS)
Snowshoe hares belong to the
mammals. They look like rabbits but
they are bigger in size.
They are common in cold
temperature zones of the world. Here in
Virginia they can be located in Highland
County.
They have a thick coat of fur. It is
white in the winter and brown in the
summer.
Snowshoe hare have huge hind legs, and their feet are furry.
They are about 6 inches to 12 inches in height, and their weight is
between 3-5 lbs.
The snowshoe hare are solitary animals.
Normally live in the wild for about 3 years.
Mostly they like to move around at night.
They live in heavily wooded areas,
especially evergreen forest, spruce-fir woods,
and mixed hardwoods.
They like to hide out, making bowl-like
shape holes on the ground, and covering
them with brush piles.
They do not like open spaces.
They usually stick to the same habitat all year round.
Highland County
Snowshoe hares are classify as
consumers.
 They are herbivorous.
They mainly feed on grass, flowers,
clover, and greens in summer time. In the
winter months they eat buds, maple,
willow, soft bark, spruce, pines, and twigs.
Their predators include bobcat, gray fox,
red fox, red-tailed hawk, lynx, great horned
owl, and barred owls.
FISHER WEASEL
LYNX
GRASS
SNOWSHOE
HARE
Snake
Snowshoe
Hare
Fisher Weasel
Hawk
Owl
Lynx
Frog
Rodent
Pine
trees
Cricket
Shrubs
Grass
Snowshoe hare are fast swimmers,
and they throw themselves into water
to escape from their predators.
They relay on their speed to escape
from their attackers, and when they are
being chased they change directions
frequently and suddenly.
They hide during the daytime and
come out at night, so they can be more
safe.
To conserve energy during winter, they do as little as possible.
The snowshoe hares have a thick fur
coat in winter which protects them from
the cold.
They have small teeth behind their strong
and big ones in the front, for cutting the
food.
Their fur coat changes color with the
season. In winter their fur is very white,
and in summer their fur is brownish. This
helps them to blend in with the surroundings.
Their hind feet are like snowshoes that help
them hop around on top of the snow so they don’t sink in it.
Their whiskers and nose are designed to sense danger, and their ears are
like radars, picking up any sounds.
Snowshoe hares are threatened by humans from time to time
for maritime hunting, for their fur, and even diet. Sometimes we set traps
called snares along their runways.
Here in Virginia are considered an endangered species.
Snowshoe hare are capable of running as
fast as 27mph.
They are also high jumpers. They can
jump up till 10ft high.
They take their name from their hind feet,
that look like snowshoes.
Their fur-coat’s color changes according
to the length of the days as the seasons
change.
Each male snowshoe hare competes with many
others to mate with a single female hare.
When they communicate, they do it stomping their hind feet on the ground.
Snowshoe hare tracks compared
to rabbit tracks