Snowshoe Hare
Named after their oversized, bristly rear paws, snowshoe hares live in Colorado's subalpine forests.
About This Species
Hares, which include snowshoe hares and jackrabbits, have longer feet than rabbits and usually have longer ears. Most hares live in open country, whereas cottontails live in brushy habitats. Perhaps the most important distinction between them is that cottontails are born blind, nearly naked and helpless. Hares, by contrast, are born fully furred and ready to hop.
Snowshoe hares have relatively short ears for a hare, but their huge hind feet remind us that these are not rabbits. Snowshoe hares, in addition to having very long feet, have broad feet that help them navigate deep snow and are what give them their name. Snowshoe hares are solitary and fairly sedentary all year round, but are not territorial, and have overlapping ranges that result in constant contact between individuals.
More Information:
Physical Characteristics
Size
Snowshoe hares range in length from 413 to 518 mm (16.3 to 20.4 in), of which 39 to 52 mm (1.5 to 2.0 in) are tail. The hind foot, long and broad, measures 117 to 147 mm (4.6 to 5.8 in) in length. The ears are 62 to 70 mm (2.4 to 2.8 in) from notch to tip. Snowshoe hares usually weigh between 1.43 and 1.55 kg (3.15 to 3.42 lb). Males are slightly smaller than females, as is typical for leporids.
Appearance
The snowshoe hare's ears are not as long as some other species of hares' ears. In the winter, it turns a bright white to blend in with the snow. In the summer, the coat is a grizzled rusty or grayish brown, with a blackish middorsal line, buffy flanks and a white belly. The face and legs are cinnamon brown. The ears are brownish with black tips and white or creamy borders. During the winter, the fur is almost entirely white, except for black eyelids and the blackened tips on the ears. The soles of the feet are densely furred, with stiff hairs (forming the snowshoe) on the hind feet.
Range
Snowshoe hares can be found across most of Colorado's mountains, except for the southeastern Front Range (Pikes Peak area) and Sangre de Cristo mountains.
Habitat
Snowshoe hares live in sub-alpine forests, often in willow thickets.
Diet
Hares are vegetarians, eating tender herbs in summer, and woody twigs and bark in winter.
Reproduction
Snowshoe hares produce two litters of five young annually, between March and August.
Threats to Species
Deforestation and climate change are the primary threats, although CPW works closely with the USFS to monitor populations within regions that may experience the greatest impact.
Additional Information
Understanding and monitoring snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) density in Colorado is especially important because hares comprise 70% of the diet of the state-endangered, federally threatened Canada lynx.