The Arctic Hare (Lepus arcticus) lives in one of the planet’s most challenging environments: the Arctic Tundra. As one of the largest living species in the order Lagomorpha, which includes both hares and rabbits, this animal thrives in the extreme cold of the far north. Its survival depends on physical characteristics and behavioral strategies that help it endure long, frigid winters and short, resource-scarce summers. The Arctic Hare does not hibernate, relying entirely on its adaptations in a landscape defined by ice and snow.
Defining Features and Taxonomy
The Arctic Hare belongs to the genus Lepus and is classified within the family Leporidae, placing it with all other true hares. Adult hares typically measure between 43 and 70 centimeters in length and weigh between 3 and 7 kilograms, making them notably larger and more robust than most other hare species. This large body size aids in thermoregulation by reducing the overall surface area-to-volume ratio.
A key distinction separates hares from rabbits, focusing on the state of their young at birth. Arctic Hares, like all hares, are born precocial. The young, called leverets, are delivered fully furred, with their eyes open, and are capable of movement almost immediately. In contrast, rabbits are altricial, born blind, hairless, and dependent on a sheltered nest. The Arctic Hare also has a stockier build and noticeably shorter ears than its southern relatives, a trait that minimizes heat loss to the frigid air.
Specialized Adaptations for Arctic Survival
Survival in the High Arctic requires physiological and behavioral traits to manage intense cold and evade predators. The hare’s primary insulation comes from a thick, multi-layered coat of fur, including dense underfur, longer pile hair, and guard hairs. This fur system, combined with a body fat content that can reach up to 20% of its body mass, provides strong thermal protection. Furthermore, its basal metabolic rate is lower than expected for its size, conserving energy where resources are scarce.
The animal exhibits seasonal camouflage through molting, synchronized with the changing landscape. For the long winter, its coat is pure white, offering visual defense against predators like the Arctic Wolf and Fox in the snow-covered environment. When the snow melts in the spring, the coat shifts to a blue-gray or brownish-gray color, allowing it to blend with the tundra’s exposed rocks and sparse vegetation.
Behaviorally, the Arctic Hare uses snow for both camouflage and shelter, digging snow dens to escape wind and find insulated refuge. They often form large groups, or flocks, sometimes numbering in the thousands during the winter months, which serves as a collective defense mechanism against predators. When alerted to danger, the hare can briefly stand upright on its powerful hind legs to scan the horizon for threats before fleeing at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
Habitat and Foraging
The Arctic Hare occupies the Arctic Tundra, with its range spanning Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, including the islands of Ellesmere and Baffin, and extending south into Labrador and Newfoundland. Within the tundra, these hares favor rocky slopes, elevated plateaus, and treeless coastal areas where snow cover is often thinner or wind-blown, making foraging easier.
Their diet is primarily composed of woody plants, mosses, and lichens. The Arctic Willow (Salix arctica) is a key staple. The hare uses its keen sense of smell to locate vegetation buried beneath the snowpack, digging through the frozen layer with its strong front claws to access the food.
The Arctic environment presents a challenge due to its very low primary productivity, with plant cover sometimes less than 5%, and a short growing season. Hares must contend with a diet that is often low in nutrients, especially protein, during the winter months, which can lead to a measurable loss of body weight. They must balance the energy spent digging versus the caloric reward of the sparse, tough vegetation they uncover.