Mammals · Lagomorpha · Leporidae

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its striking boom-and-bust population cycles, running over 8 to 11 years, are closely tied to the abundance of the Canada lynx, its main specialist predator.

Weight

1.3 kg – 1.6 kg

Size

41 cm – 52 cm

Lifespan

3 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestTundraHerbivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Tundra Mammal

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Fun facts

It is one of the best documented examples of predator-prey dynamics in ecology.
It eats grasses and shoots in summer, and the bark and twigs of woody shrubs in winter.
It lives in boreal and subalpine forest across much of North America.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Boreal and subalpine forest across much of North America
Birth weight: ~57 g at birth, precocial, fully furred, eyes open and able to hop soon after drying off
Size at birth: ~57 g at birth
Sexual maturity: ~1 year
Gestation / incubation: 35-37 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 9 young per litter (average 2-4), with up to 4 litters per year
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 5.4-7 years

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien; Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department