Arctic Hare

Introduction

Greenland, the Arctic, and portions of Canada are home to the Arctic hare in the wild. As far north as Newfoundland and Labrador, they can be found. They typically reside in mountainous areas and thrive in cold climates. To assist fight against temperatures that can dip as low as -30 °C, they have more fat than other hares.

These naturally occurring burrowers consume whatever plants, moss, or lichens that they may discover as food. Despite having a 3-5 year lifespan in the wild, this breed does poorly in captivity and may only live 1-2 years.

Brief Information on the Arctic Hare

Overview of Arctic Hare

The Arctic hare is well adapted to surviving in subfreezing conditions. During the snowy winter months, its coat is brilliant white; however, the rest of the year, it turns a blue-gray color to match the nearby rocks.

They can run at speeds of up to 40 mph and have eyes positioned so they can see everything around them without turning their heads. They face predators including foxes, wolves, lynx, owls, hawks, and a variety of other species. The hare’s body fat percentage is 20%, which is also somewhat high. They can stay warm even in the coldest climates thanks to this in combination with their thick fur.

They can live off of berries, plants, and even bark, but when it comes to survival, they will also consume flesh. They have successfully adjusted to their environment in order to survive.

The breed does not adapt well to living in captivity, mainly because they require a lot of space, enjoy digging, and perform well in cold climates. As a result, they are rarely kept as pets, with the exception of rescue animals. The average lifespan of an Arctic hare kept in captivity is just 18 to 24 months, as opposed to up to 5 years in the wild.

What Are the Prices of Arctic Hares?

No one keeps Arctic hares as pets. They cannot be bought and cannot be found online as a result. Despite being in the “least risk” category for conservation status, they can be sponsored through various animal welfare organisations.

Normal Conduct & Temperament

Outside of the breeding season, the Arctic hare lives alone most of the time. In the breeding season, they could group together in small groups. The hares can run at speeds of up to 40 mph, are excellent swimmers, and move by hopping or jumping. They can dig through snow to locate food like berries since they can burrow underground.

Varieties and Aesthetics

Depending on their place of origin, arctic hares can have a range of colors, but during the snowy winter, they all don a white coat. They are better able to blend in because of this. The coat may alter color when there is less snow on the ground, and will typically match nearby rocks or ground. To blend in with the nearby rocks, the hare’s most prevalent summer hue is a pale brown or blue-gray.

The Wild Arctic Hare

Even by the Eskimos who do hunt and trap them for food and their bodies, the breed is a wild animal and they are not maintained in captivity. These animals are rarely found in sanctuaries or zoos since they are not thought to be at serious risk in the wild and because keeping them in captivity significantly shortens their lifetime. Males can have territories that are as large as 150 hectares.

Vultures and Prey

In order to survive, the Arctic hare will eat meat, although they prefer to eat plants, berries, leaves, moss, and lichen. When they do eat meat, they prefer fish and the larger animals’ stomach contents.

Even though the breed has acquired a number of equipment and talents to aid in predator avoidance, it is nevertheless preyed upon by foxes, wolves, lynx, owls, falcons, hawks, and other expert hunters. The hare may disappear into the background thanks to its fur. Since they can swim well, they can elude some aquatic predators.

Additionally, they have the ability to run at a high speed and accelerate extremely quickly from a standing start. Although young hares are more susceptible to becoming prey than adults, the species can remain fully motionless as early as a few days old to ward off predators.

Their Relationships with People

Hares still interact with people, even if they are not kept as pets. For Eskimos, they are a source of food. However, the meat’s flavor and appeal vary depending on the season, the age and health of the animal, as well as other elements. For instance, during mating season, males are not eaten. The lean and full-flavored meat is typically paired with fat to enhance its flavor, even though they are regarded as edible. In addition to chewing milk glands from the animal to drink the milk as a medication to treat motion sickness, Eskimos do regard the animal’s ear cartilage to be a delicacy. The trappers and their family eat or otherwise utilize almost the entire animal.

The hare’s fur is also used by Eskimos to produce gloves and other garments. Bandages and feminine products can also be made from the absorbent fur. Even though the skin is easily torn, it is occasionally used for bedding and other items.

The Arctic hare has no documented adverse effects on the economy or on human life.

Breeding

Each breeding season, the male normally finds a new female. The guy will pursue the female until she gives in after making physical touch to attract her. Until children are born, the couple stays together. The male frequently departs after the offspring are born in order to find a new partner. During a mating season, females typically have one litter, though occasionally they may have two. A hare is able to reproduce starting in the spring after its birth, and a litter can contain up to eight leverets.

To prevent the nest from being discovered and the young from being murdered, the mother will stay with the young for the first two to three days after birth. Following this, the juvenile hare soon learns how to remain still and hidden in order to evade notice and protect itself from predators. The young hare will eventually develop self-sufficiency and will rely less and less on its mother.

A polar hare

The Arctic hare and other hares share a lot of characteristics. They have big ears and broad, cushioned feet. They are covered with extremely thick fur that changes color throughout the year to either resemble the snowy tundra or the rocky surroundings in which they live. These hares are not kept as pets and are not endangered, but the Eskimos of the Arctic, Canada, and Greenland, where they are found natively, hunt them for materials and food. They do not harm human life or the economy. This type of hare can survive up to five years in the wild. The hare only has a lifespan of about 18 to 24 months if kept in captivity.

Robert Brown, Flickr, used as the featured image