Churchill on Hudson Bay 2017: Arctic Hare

This Arctic Hare (Lepus arcticus) was a lifer mammal for me! [A “lifer” is the first sighting of a species that you’ve never seen before.] I found this cooperative critter on June 19th near the Northern Studies Center in a patch of willows and I spent a fair amount of time getting close.

I first got some “insurance shots” out the window of the truck. Then I slowly opened the door and dropped slowly to the ground. I got some eye-level shots. I crawled closer and closer (not too much fun on the hard gravel). Eventually I realized that this Hare cared little about me, realizing, I suppose, that I wasn’t a threat.

He/she is obviously molting from the winter white pelage to the summer browns but I like the patchy color and especially the black and white oversized ears. Willow was on today’s lunch menu and the Arctic Hare kept on browsing while I kept on snapping!

**All photos taken with Canon 7D with Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens…Most at 400mm (some wider shots at 120mm); 1/320 at f5.6; ISO 320; +0.66 ev; hand held] All processed in Lightroom

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-4
Arctic Hare near Churchill Manitoba

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-9
Arctic Hares are not the only lagomorph living around Churchill; Snowshoe Hares also live here, but mainly in the boreal spruce forests. I saw 2 Snowshoe Hares in the understory along Twin Lakes Road.

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-2 Arctic Hares have long legs like jackrabbits (another kind of hare). They can run at speeds close to 40 mph! And they may need a burst of speed when being chased by Arctic Fox, Red Fox, Wolf, Lynx or Snowy Owl.

arctic_hare_range

This range map of Arctic Hare by the Canadian Geographic is inaccurate; It doesn’t show that the population does indeed extend into Manitoba at least as far south as Churchill.

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-3
Hares differ from rabbits in having longer hind legs, living in open habitats (tundra, prairie, desert), not building a burrow or nest, having furred young that are born with eyes open.

Arctic Hare molting running Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-5
Note the long hind legs of the Arctic Hare that allow them to run at speeds up to 40 mph.

Arctic Hare molting eating willows Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-7
Favorite Food! Willows comprise 95% of an Arctic hare’s diet, one study found.

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-8
“Southern” Arctic Hares, the ones that live around Churchill and in Labrador and Newfoundland, molt from winter white to gray/brown summer pelage. Those that inhabit the Far North where summer is even shorter, remain white year round.

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-10
The Arctic Hare is one of the largest hare species anywhere. They are 17-28 inches long when stretched out, average 6-12 pounds (though some may reach 15 pounds).

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-11
Arctic Hare amongst the willows

Arctic Hare molting Lepus arcticus Churchill Northern Studies Center Churchill Manitoba Canada-14
Churchill is one of the few places where Snowshoe Hares overlap in range with the Arctic Hare.