Wildlife In Focus | Mountain Hare

Species Guide | Mountain Hare (Lepus Timidus)

APPEARANCE

The Mountain Hare has brown fur in the summer months and will turn to white fur in the winter months when the temperature falls; this helps to ensure that they remain camouflaged. They have brown eyes, and long ears with a slight black tip to them, and they always sport a white tail.

Diet

The main diet of Mountain Hares in the British Isles consists of heather & grasses.

HABITAT

The Mountain Hare is part of the order of animals called Lagomorphs which includes the rabbit and the brown hare. Unlike these two relatives the Mountain Hare is an indigenous species, and as its name suggests inhabits upland areas in Scotland as well as the Peak District and some of the Scottish Islands.

Note that this map is for a rough illustration of animal distribution across the UK¹, whereby light green indicates established populations.

Behavior

They are shy animals, which is undoubtedly why their scientific name includes the word timidus which literally translates to timid. They are elusive mammals as they rest during the day either hidden in natural terrain or by digging burrows.

They breed in early spring having litters of up to 3 offspring called leverets each year. The litters of females in their first year have a higher mortality rate than more mature females. Leverets are born with open eyes and fur. This evolutionary trait allows the female to leave the youngsters to their own devices for much of the time, only returning to them occasionally to give them milk.

STATS

NATURAL PREDATORS

Golden Eagles are their main predator. The leverets are also subject to predation by several mammals including foxes and stoats, as well as medium-sized raptors such as buzzards.

Conservation Status

The Mountain Hare is classified as least concern from a global viewpoint by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. U.K. Populations are classified as Near Threatened due to the impact of yearly culling and the burning of habitat by the grouse and pheasant shooting industry.

U.K.
Conservation Status

Global
Conservation Status

References

1. Population data based upon Mammal Society assessment
2. General Stats based upon Mammal Society