Arctic Hare

The Arctic Hare is a large lagomorph superbly adapted to life in the harsh Arctic tundra of North America and Greenland. It is known for its thick white winter coat, powerful hind legs, and ability to survive extreme cold. Remarkable for forming large aggregations in some regions and for its speed, reaching up to 60 km/h when fleeing predators.

Canadian Arctic islands, Greenland, and northern mainland Canada

Found across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, northern Quebec and Labrador, Newfoundland, and Greenland; range extends from the high Arctic islands south to the northern boreal treeline.

Altitude and depth

Sea level to approximately 900m, generally in flat or rolling tundra terrain

Seasonal movements

Molts seasonally, turning white in winter and grayish-brown in summer (except in far northern populations which may remain white year-round); does not hibernate and remains active through winter.

Arctic tundra, rocky barrens, and polar desert with sparse vegetation; also found in coastal areas and low shrub tundra where food is more available.

Adaptations to its environment

Thick insulating fur, short ears and compact body to reduce heat loss, large furred feet for snow traction, and seasonal camouflage coloring; can dig shallow burrows or use rock crevices for shelter from wind.

Listed as Least Concern by IUCN due to a large range and stable overall population, though some localized populations face pressure from climate change.

Estimated population

Population size is not precisely quantified but believed to be large and stable across its extensive range, with some regional fluctuations.

Climate change altering snow cover and vegetation patterns, increased predation pressure from range-shifting species, and habitat disturbance from human development in some areas.

Diseases and parasites

Susceptible to various parasites including ticks, fleas, and internal parasites such as tapeworms and coccidia, though specific disease impacts are not well documented.

Protected within various national parks and reserves across the Canadian Arctic and Greenland; monitored as part of broader Arctic biodiversity and climate change research programs.

Recommended actions

Continued monitoring of population trends in relation to climate change, protection of critical tundra habitat, and research into subspecies taxonomy and range shifts.

Thick white fur in winter (grayish in some southern populations in summer), black-tipped ears, large hind feet, and a compact rounded body shape adapted to cold retention.

Size

Body length 43-70 cm, with males typically slightly smaller than females

Weight

2.5-5.5 kg, with females generally slightly heavier than males

Distinctive features

Distinguished from other hares by its stockier build, shorter ears, and pure white winter coat; often stands upright on hind legs like a small kangaroo, a distinctive posture among hares.

Differences between males and females

Minimal visual dimorphism; females are typically slightly larger and heavier than males but coloration and general appearance are similar.

Can be solitary or form large groups of dozens to over 100 individuals, especially in open tundra areas, likely for predator vigilance and thermoregulation.

When it is active

Primarily crepuscular and diurnal, though activity patterns shift with the extreme seasonal daylight changes of the Arctic (24-hour daylight in summer, darkness in winter).

Diet

Herbivorous, feeding on woody plants, roots, buds, mosses, lichens, and berries; will dig through snow to access buried vegetation in winter.

Communication

Communicates through body postures, thumping hind feet as an alarm signal, and scent marking; visual cues such as ear position are important in social groups.

Interactions with other species

Preyed upon by Arctic foxes, gray wolves, snowy owls, and golden eagles; competes with other herbivores like caribou and lemmings for limited tundra vegetation.

Role in its ecosystem

Serves as an important prey species supporting Arctic predators and helps shape vegetation dynamics through grazing on tundra plants.

Breeding occurs in spring (April-May), with a gestation period of about 50 days; litters typically contain 2-8 leverets, born fully furred and relatively mobile.

Raising the young

Females provide most care, nursing leverets for about 8-9 weeks; young are precocial and become independent relatively quickly compared to altricial mammals.

Maturity and lifespan

Reaches sexual maturity around 1 year of age; lifespan in the wild is typically 3-5 years, though some individuals may live longer.

Classification

Class Mammalia > Order Lagomorpha > Family Leporidae > Genus Lepus > Species Lepus arcticus

Subspecies

Lepus arcticus arcticus (northern Canadian Arctic and Greenland), Lepus arcticus bangsii (Newfoundland and Labrador), Lepus arcticus monstrabilis (Melville Peninsula) - taxonomy debated with some considering these separate species

Scientific synonyms

Lepus groenlandicus (formerly used for Greenland populations, now considered synonymous or a subspecies)

Recent studies

Recent research has focused on hybridization zones with snowshoe hares in areas of range overlap and on how climate change is affecting coat color mismatch during shortened snow seasons.

Genome and DNA

Diploid chromosome number of 2n=48, consistent with other Lepus species; genetic studies have helped clarify subspecies relationships and divergence from other Arctic-adapted hares.

Compared with similar species

Similar to the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) but larger, with a more compact body and shorter ears adapted to extreme cold; ranges do not typically overlap significantly with the mountain hare.

Arctic Hares can run up to 60 km/h and often stand upright on their hind legs like a small kangaroo to survey their surroundings. Large groups of hundreds have been observed gathering together in open tundra, an unusual behavior for typically solitary lagomorphs.

Where and how to see it

Best observed in the Canadian Arctic islands such as Ellesmere Island during the summer months (June-August) when hares are active and easier to spot against non-snow terrain; early morning or evening light offers optimal viewing.

Risks to humans

No notable risk to humans

Human uses

Historically hunted by Inuit and other Arctic peoples for meat and fur, used for clothing and food; continues to have minor subsistence hunting importance in some northern communities.

Myths and legends

Featured in some Inuit folklore and traditional stories as a symbol of speed and adaptability to the harsh Arctic environment, though specific detailed myths are not widely documented in mainstream sources.