Wildlife
Mountain hares have evolved to change colour from dappled shades of brown to white, keeping them camouflaged against the winter snow. They are at their most vulnerable when they are still young leverets and preyed upon by foxes, stoats, birds of prey and cats.
Most active in the evening and at night, mountain hares will rest in forms and scrapes during the day with their backs to the wind sheltered by rocks and heather.
With concerns of global warming reducing snowfall in parts of the UK, mountain hares may suffer from being exposed in the wrong-coloured pelage, or moult, if there is insufficient cover.
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Winter woollies
Mountain hares switch to their winter whites and snow shoes.
Mountain hares switch to their winter whites and snow shoes.
Chough country
Hares and wheatears are seen on a trip to find red-billed choughs.
Hares and wheatears are seen on a trip to find red-billed choughs.
Light harecraft
Opportunistic hares flirt with danger on an airport runway.
Opportunistic hares flirt with danger on an airport runway.
Over exposed
Warmer winters means less snow, which could spell disaster for white mountain hares.
Warmer winters means less snow, which could spell disaster for white mountain hares.
Ice-age relics
Ptarmigan and arctic hare are ice age survivors.
Ptarmigan and arctic hare are ice age survivors.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Mountain hare can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, China, Europe, Russia, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Mountain hare distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Unknown
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The mountain hare (Lepus timidus), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare and Irish hare, is a hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
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Mountain grassland
Moorland
Mountains
Taiga
Coniferous forest
Temperate grassland
Tundra
Camouflage
Burrower
Herbivorous
Adapted to jumping
Maternal care
Moulting
Nocturnal
Polymorphism
Cold tolerant
Adapted to running
Chemical communication
Viviparous