Blue hare, Tundra hare, Variable hare, White hare, Snow hare, Alpine hare, Irish hare
The mountain hare (Lepus timidus ), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
He
HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
Gr
GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
Fo
FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Ju
JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
Pr
PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Gr
GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
Br
BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
Bu
BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
So
SocialNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
M
starts withThe Mountain hare is a large species of hair that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. In summer, for all populations of mountain hares, the coat is various shades of brown. In preparation for winter, most populations molt into a white (or largely white) pelage but their tail remains completely white all year round. In Ireland, the Irish mountain hare stays brown all year and individuals rarely develop a white coat. They may also have a "golden" variation, particularly those found on Rathlin Island.
Mountain hares are distributed from Fennoscandia to eastern Siberia; in addition, there are isolated mountain populations in the Alps, Scotland, the Baltics, northeastern Poland, and Hokkaidō. They live in the tundra, taiga, forests in mountain areas, and in some regions in the woodlands of the open steppe. Populations in Ireland live on lowland pastures, coastal grasslands, moors, and salt marshes, not just in the mountains.
Mountain hares are nocturnal animals. During the day they rest in depressions, called forms that are dug in the snow or ground and at night they come out to feed. During the breeding season, they typically use abandoned burrows or dig their own to raise their young. Mountain hares are social and during cold snowy days, they often gather in groups to shelter or to feed together. They are always cautious and when they sense danger or disturbed they will flee, often in a zigzag pattern.
Mountain hares are herbivores (graminivores, folivores). They feed on grasses, lichen, leaves, twigs, bark, and other plants according to season and habitat.
Mountain hares breed from January to September and females may produce between 1 and 3 litters per year consisting of 1-4 leverets. Gestation usually takes 50-54 days. The young are born fully furred and with their eyes open. They are nursed by the mother only in the evening and are weaned at the age of 4 weeks.
Mountain hares are not considered endangered at present, however, populations may decline locally due to changes in climate, starvation, habitat loss, hunting, and predation.
According to IUCN, the Mountain hare is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...