The Polar hare or Arctic squirrel is one of the largest representatives of hares. He got the definition of “Arctic” due to his ability to adapt perfectly to cold climatic conditions. The body size of the polar hare reaches 70 centimeters in length and weighs 5 kilograms. Sexual dimorphism is very weakly expressed. The color of the fur of these representatives can vary greatly.
Arctic Squirrel
They spend the winter in white, and the summer in gray or light brown. However, the color of the hares that have settled in Canada practically does not change. Their coat color always remains snow-white. The Arctic white has black rims in the ear area.
You can meet the polar hare in the northern regions of Canada and the tundra of Greenland. They prefer to live in the tundra or mountains at an altitude of 900 meters above the sea. They mainly inhabit areas with dense vegetation during the short Arctic summer and with a small amount of snow in winter. It is extremely important for hares of this species to make holes in the snow in order to get to vegetation.
The main food of Arctic squirrels is various kinds of vegetation. In winter, these hares eat woody plants, as well as mosses and lichens, which they take out from under snowdrifts. In relatively warm periods, berries, tree bark, leaves and roots are consumed. They can even eat carrion.
Polar hares are distinguished by their agility and speed. They can accelerate up to 65 kilometers per hour. This speed is achieved thanks to the strong hind legs. When running, the hare pushes off with its hind legs and touches the ground with its front paws. Thanks to their strong claws, Arctic squirrels are able to rip through frozen ground and rake through dense snow cover.
In addition to the ability to run fast, polar hares have learned to swim well. They are able to swim across even a small river. The structure and location of the eyes allows them to look around without practically turning their heads. Due to this ability, hares can easily identify a predatory beast and can escape.
Arctic whites have quite a lot of enemies. They are attacked by predators such as arctic foxes, polar wolves and ermines. As a result, hares are extremely agile and careful. However, their life expectancy does not exceed 7 years.
The lifestyle of Arctic whites is solitary or gregarious. Many species form groups. The number of representatives in such groups can reach thousands of individuals. As a rule, these groups are saved for a short period of time. Arctic hares spend the winter on the continents, and with the beginning of spring they move to the coastal ice.
The breeding season of Arctic squirrels begins in spring, namely from April to May. As a result, pairs are formed. Some males can fertilize several females. All the work on the arrangement of the burrow lies with the female. She is engaged in digging a hole for future offspring. As a rule, the burrow is located in the ground behind a stone or rock. The bottom of the burrow is covered with fur and leaves.
Pregnancy lasts about one and a half months. From 2 to 8 hares are born. Arctic whites grow extremely fast. By autumn, they reach the size of adults, and become sexually mature after a year.
