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Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
Snowshoe Hare. Photo:Jake Vander Zanden
Like the eastern cottontail, the snowshoe hare in an important link in the food chain between plants and carnivores. The snowshoe hare tends to inhabit forests, swamps, and riverside thickets. During winter it bears a white coat which acts as camouflage, concealing the hare from predators. The snowshoe hare is a nocturnal animal, only coming out to feed at dusk. During the day the snowshoe hare hides in shrubs where it grooms itself and occasionally sleeps. It can be found throughout Canada from coast to coast. It is so adaptable that 11 separate subspecies have been recorded in Canada alone.
Distribution
of Snowshoe Hare in Canada
