Arctic hare (Lepusothus)
By A.J. R.
Appearance: The arctic hare is about twenty~two to twenty~eight
inches. It's weight is about two to twelve lbs. It weighs about
six to twelve pounds(twenty~seven to five.four kilograms). The
color in the summer is brownish greyish and white on the belly.
In the winter time it is pure white. The tips of the ears are
black. It's a little whitish to the hairs. The tail is white all
year around.
Habitat: The arctic hare is busy from dawn till dusk. They don't make nests and they don't dig burrows. They just rest under a tree and move on. They also travel in groups. Sometimes in groups of 120. The arctic hare only lives in Alaska. The arctic hare likes to live on rocky places and tundras of the arctic. They don't like to live in low places or wooded areas.
Food: Sometimes the hare will eat meat in the winter. In the winter the arctic hare also feeds on bare twigs and vegetables just under the snow. They also feed on grass, bugs, twigs, and leaves in the summer. In the winter it will also eat spruce twigs, bark, needles, and buds of hard wood. They will also feed on willow and dwarf arctic plants.
Enemies: The arctic lynx actually likes to have the arctic hare over for dinner. Sometimes the hare is an important source of food to the Alaskan people. The arctic hare is also important to the Alaskan people for its fur. The arctic hare is also an important source of food to the polar bear, arctic fox, wolves, and birds of prey. The arctic fox is actually the biggest threat to the arctic hare like regular fox's are the biggest threat to regular hares.
Life Cycle: The leverets (young arctic hares) are born with fur and their eyes open. They can walk as soon as their fur is dry and they nurse for about a month. They weigh about two pounds (fifty~seven grams) and the gestation (how long it takes to have a baby) period is thirty~six to thirty~seven days. The arctic hare mates at the year of one and have two to three litters a year. The leverets are a tinch darker than the adults and have a slightly colored back.
Other Facts: The arctic hare does not get used to the cold like the southern hare does. When the blood travels through the arctic hare the blood makes the hare much warmer. Hunters should be alert for a disease called tuleramia that is found in hares and rodents. You can find it on sluggishness and spots found on the liver and spleen. The arctic hare has snowshoe like feet because it helps spread the arctic hares weight and helping it from falling into the soft snow. The female arctic hare is called doe.