Hare

True Wild Life | Hare | The hare, closely related to the rabbit, is a small mammal found primarily in the Northern hemisphere. Although there are different species of hare found all over the world, the hare is most commonly found in Europe and North America with the Arctic Hare found inhabiting the freezing climates within the Arctic Circle. The hare is one of the fastest of all the smaller animals, with hares being able to move at speeds of around 45mph. The strong hind legs of the hare, combined with the large feet of the hare give the hare the ability to run so quickly. The hare is also able to jump over large distances with great ease.

The hare differs from the rabbit mainly in size, as hares are much larger than the average bunny rabbit. The baby hares are also born with their eyes open and a full coat of fur, and these hare babies are often able to hop about after just a few minutes in the outside world. Hares have very long ears with along with their accurate sense of smell, allow the hare to detect any oncoming predators often before the predators have even noticed the hare. The hare then hops very quickly, in a similar way to a kangaroo, in order to make an escape to safety.

There are over 30 different species of hare found close to farmland and open forests worldwide. The hare is a very adaptable animal as there are species of hare also found in desert regions and of course, the bitterly cold Arctic Tundra. Due to the size and speed of the hare, the hare is generally not a first choice meal for many predators although there are a number of animals that will hunt hares. The predators of the hare include large birds of prey and wild dogs, and also humans who will often hunt hares both to eat and for pest control.

The hare is generally a calm and docile animal, as hares spend most of their time resting and foraging for food. The hare mainly eats plant matter (grass being one of the favourite foods of the hare) but hares also eat seeds, vegetables and fruit in order to fill them up. Hares have often been used as symbolic signs, the definitions of which differ with cultures, and hare are also one of the most common animals used in folklore and stories in many different cultures around the world.

Unlike rabbits, hares give birth to their young in nest on the ground rather than in burrows below the ground, which allows baby hares to become accustomed to a life of self-protection as the hares are not born in the safety of an underground burrow. Baby hares are often able to look after themselves from a very early age.

Arctic Hare

True Wild Life | Arctic Hare | The Arctic hare can found in the northern regions of the Arctic Circle, predominantly in Northern America, Europe, Greenland and the North Pole. The Arctic hare has thick, white fur which allows it to continue inhabiting the Arctic regions successfully, in warmth and camouflage. The Arctic hare eats shoots, buds and berries found amongst the snow. The Arctic hare is a vital component in the Arctic circle food chain, being one of the few smaller mammals able to thrive in such a harsh environment. The Arctic hare is therefore common prey for bigger animals of the Arctic tundra, such as Arctic wolves, foxes and polar bears.

The Arctic hare is always white in the far north where there is snow all year round. In parts of the Arctic circle that have seasons, the Arctic hare will go from white to a blue-grey colour in the summer but is known to keep its white tail all year. The Arctic hare lives in groups of around 200 Arctic hare individuals. These large groups of Arctic hare will often work together to achieve what is needed for their survival as the Arctic hares huddle together to conserve heat and to keep them warm. The Arctic hare has long claws which helps the Arctic hare when digging through icy and snowy conditions when the Arctic hare is searching for food or if the Arctic hare is digging a den.

The Arctic hare can achieve very fast speeds when the Arctic hare feels threatened. If the Arctic hare senses danger, the Arctic hare will stand on its hind legs and survey the area. If the Arctic hare feels threatened, the Arctic hare is capable of taking off at very fast speeds as the Arctic hare moves by hopping off its back legs in a similar way to a kangaroo.