Although most rabbits and hares have temperate climates as their habitats, Arctic hares have instead chosen to live out their lives in the frozen north. Adapting to the colder year-round temperatures they experience here, the animals have shorter legs and ears, a smaller nose, substantially thicker fur, and body weight comprising 20% fat.
They are usually found alone or in pairs, but can also gather together for warmth in numbers totaling about a dozen individuals. To stay warm, and like other similar species, Arctic hares dig tunnels in which they escape from predators, overnight, and give birth to their young. They also seek shelter in rocky nooks, which protect them from predators and cold winds.
Hitting speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, Arctic hares can weigh anywhere from 6-15 lbs, and are one of the largest species of rabbit or hare. The four different subspecies of the animal are divided between the Canadian Arctic and coastal regions of much of Greenland. The easiest populations for wildlife lovers to spot are probably those located in Newfoundland and Labrador, where the famed white coat changes to one of dappled grey or brown during the summer months. This gives the animals better camouflage against bare earth. Further north in Canada, where snow cover is year-round, Arctic hares remain white throughout the calendar.
Similar species might be associated with consuming grasses, but most of the Arctic hare’s diet consists of the arctic willow, a small woody plant. This is something the Arctic hare shares with much larger musk ox. They will also eat snow as a ready source of freshwater. Little is known about how long them can live in the wild, with estimates of up to five years possible, so long as they avoid predators including Arctic foxes, snowy owls, and Arctic wolves.
Other Arctic Wildlife
Arctic Fox / Arctic Wolf / Caribou / Musk Ox / Polar Bear / Bearded Seal / Beluga Whale / Narwhal / Ringed Seal / Walrus / Arctic Tern / Gyrfalcon / Puffin / Snowy Owl
