Everything about The Mountain Hare totally explained
The
Mountain Hare (
Lepus timidus) is a
hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. It is distributed from
Fennoscandia to eastern
Siberia; in addition there are isolated populations in the
Alps,
Ireland,
Poland, the
United Kingdom and
Hokkaidō. It has also been introduced to
Shetland and the
Faroe Islands.
While the fur is brown in summer, in preparation for winter this species moults into a white (or largely white)
pelage. The Irish race (
Lepus timidus hibernicus) stays brown all year and only rarely do individuals develop a white coat. The Irish race may also have a dark/grey upper surface to the tail. This combined with the various shades of brown that the Irish hare may display could lead to observers confusing a sighting with a brown hare. In Scandinavia, the hare turns completely white.
Alternative common names include
Blue Hare,
Tundra Hare,
Variable Hare,
White Hare,
Alpine Hare and
Irish Hare.
The Mountain Hare is the provincial animal of
Medelpad in
Sweden.
In northern parts of Finland and Sweden, the Mountain Hare and the
European Hare compete for habitat. The European Hare, being larger, is usually able to drive away the Mountain Hare but is less adapted for living in snowy regions: its feet are smaller and its winter fur is a mixture of white and brown. While this winter fur is actually a very good camouflage in the coastal regions of Finland where the snow covers the shrubs but for a short time, the Mountain Hare is better adapted for the snowier conditions of the inland areas.
The
Arctic Hare (
Lepus arcticus) was once considered a subspecies of the Mountain Hare, but it's now regarded as a separate species. Similarly, some scientists believe that the
Irish Hare should be regarded as a separate species.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Mountain Hare'.
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