The Arctic Hare
 

The arctic hare lives all over Canada.

The arctic hare has a white coat in the wintertime (the winter coat), and in the summertime they are gray in color. This is also dependant on where the arctic hare lives. If they live in the far north, they keep their winter coat year round, therefore staying white. They have long claws, which aids them when digging through icy snowy conditions.

The arctic hare will live with about 200 other hares, and will often work together to achieve what is needed for their survival. For example, in the freezing temperatures, the arctic hares may huddle together to conserve body heat. They will curl themselves almost into a ball, by sitting on their hind feet which have a thick fur coating and folding their ears down. This helps them to keep their body heat from escaping.

Amazing Fact: The arctic hare can reach speeds in excess of 60 km/h.

The arctic hare can achieve very fast speeds. If it senses danger, it will stand on its hind legs and survey the area. If it feels threatened, it will take off at very fast speeds. They hop on their hind legs much the same as the Australian kangaroo, which achieves similar speeds (70 km/h).

The arctic hare will dig a burrow in the snow, usually close to trees or rocky areas. This is because areas with cover will allow plant life to grow. They feed on plant matter, such as twigs, roots, leaves, mosses, seeds, berries, etc.

The arctic hare mates around April, and the offspring is born in late May. About six kittens are born on average, and are protected by the mother for the first few days of their life.

Further Information on the Arctic Hare:

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