Snowshoe Hare: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Small Mammals · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Snowshoe hares have big, furry hind feet that stop them sinking into soft snow, just like snowshoes.
2. In the north, hare numbers boom and crash in cycles, about 10 years apart on average. Canada lynx numbers rise and fall along with them.
3. Snowshoe hares can have up to four litters a year, each after a brief 35-40 day pregnancy.
4. A female can get pregnant again before her first litter is even born, because she has two wombs.
5. Hares need thick cover: about 3 m high to hide from hunting birds, and about 1 m high to hide from predators on the ground.

The quiz

1. What do a snowshoe hare's big hind feet work like?

• Built-in paddles
• Built-in skis
• Built-in snowshoes (correct)
• Built-in claws for digging

Its big hind feet stop it sinking into soft snow, like snowshoes.

2. On average, how far apart are the peaks in northern snowshoe hare numbers?

• About 10 years (correct)
• Every year
• Every two to three years
• About fifty years

Northern hare numbers peak about every 10 years on average.

3. How many litters can a snowshoe hare have in a year?

• Only one
• Up to two
• Up to ten
• Up to four (correct)

Snowshoe hares can have up to four litters a year.

4. When can a female snowshoe hare get pregnant with her next litter?

• Only after a year
• Before her first litter is even born (correct)
• Only after winter
• Only once the young leave home

With two wombs, she can get pregnant again before her first litter is born.

5. How high must cover be to hide a hare from birds?

• At least 30 cm
• At least 1 m
• About 3 m (correct)
• At least 9 m

Thick cover about 3 m high shields hares from hunting birds.

More about the Snowshoe Hare

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries