Mountain Hare

Also known as Blue Hare, Variable Hare, Snow Hare, Irish Hare

Mountain hares undergo a dramatic seasonal molt, transforming from a mottled brown coat in summer to a dense, snowy white pelt in winter to blend into arctic and alpine landscapes. They spend the day resting in shallow earth depressions called forms, becoming active at dusk to forage on heather, grasses, and woody shoots. Highly solitary outside the spring breeding season, these agile lagomorphs rely on explosive bursts of speed and zig-zagging bounds to evade predators.