#0225 · 🦊 mammals

Snowshoe Hare

🇳🇱 Amerikaanse Sneeuwhaas ·Lepus americanus

LCleast concern 🦊 Mammals 📍 outside Europe

7 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

1. © Sue Wetmore · CC BY-NC 4.0
2. © FreckLes · CC BY-NC 4.0
3. © Janet Hill · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
4. © dgood · CC BY-NC 4.0
5. © Mike and Cathy Beamish · CC BY-NC 4.0
6. © Erika Mitchell · CC BY-NC 4.0
7. © SoLilly · CC BY-NC 4.0

what is it?

The snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ), also called the varying hare , or snowshoe rabbit , is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. Its feet also have fur on the soles to protect it from freezing temperatures.

base stats

NL sightings 0iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 25,616iNaturalist observations
threat LCleast concern

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
25,616 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Scientifically named by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777 (249 years ago).