Any beginner zoologist is well aware that the Arctic hare is a hare well adapted to existence in mountainous and polar regions. He adapted well to the harsh northern climate, and for life he chooses mainly wastelands and bare patches of land.
Short description of appearance
The average length of an adult four-kilogram individual reaches 55-70 centimeters. By analogy with most of its relatives, the arctic hare has a small fluffy tail and powerful long hind legs, allowing it to quickly jump through deep snow. The head of the animal is decorated with relatively short ears, and the body is covered with thick fur, which helps to better endure sub-zero temperatures. Hares living in the far north have a white fur coat. Individuals inhabiting other regions take on a grayish-blue tint in summer, which makes them easily disguised as local vegetation and rocks.
Where does this species live?
Arctic hare populates the northernmost regions of the Canadian Arcticarchipelago and Greenland. It can also be found frequently in Labrador, Newfoundland and Ellesmere Island. This animal is equally well settled in high-mountainous and low-lying areas. In summer, hares choose areas where vegetation grows rapidly. In winter, they move to secluded corners in which you do not need to dig deep to get food. They try to avoid wet grasslands, preferring to settle in drier areas.
Arctic hare can make seasonal migrations. So, the hare living in Rankin Inlet, at the end of spring, move from the mainland to small islands. The main reason for this relocation is considered to be a smaller number of predators living there.
What does the polar hare eat?
Arctic hare belongs to the category of herbivores. The basis of its diet is made up of woody plants. He can also feast on grass, leaves, berries and buds. The animal has a well-developed sense of smell, so it easily digs up roots and willows hidden under a layer of snow.
In addition, cases have been recorded that the Arctic hare ate bark, sedge, lichens, mosses and even meat from hunting traps. It can also eat tidal seaweed. While eating, the white hare tries to lean on its hind legs, raking the snow with its front paws, under which edible vegetation is hidden. After eating, they must clean their fur. To get food hidden under a hard layer of snow, the animal hits it with its powerful paws, and then startsgnaw at the ice crust.
Features of reproduction
The mating season usually falls in April-May. At this time, whites break into pairs, but one male can have several females at once. The hare, having chosen a secluded place behind the rocks or under a bush, digs a hole there and lines it with fur and grass. The average duration of a female's pregnancy is 36-42 days. The closer to the north, the later the hares are born.
There are usually four to eight babies in a litter, each weighing 56-113 grams. They are born already sighted, and their body is covered with gray-brown hair. Just a few minutes after birth, babies are already able to jump. Two-week-old hares become more independent and no longer need a mother so much. By September, they become like their parents, and the next season they begin to breed.
Features of behavior
Unfortunately, this aspect of the hare's life has been studied much worse compared to its relatives. It is known for certain that the Arctic hare is a nocturnal and twilight animal. It does not hibernate in winter, as it tolerates low temperatures well due to thick fur and a low ratio between the area and volume of its body. It is thanks to this feature that the hare's body manages to compensate for the slowdown in basal metabolism.
In especially severe frosts, hares hide behind boulders or in dug minks. They live in relatively small areas, so in search of fooddepart on the same paths. Fleeing from predators, these animals can race at a speed of about 60 km/h.
