The Alaskan hare, Lepus othus, also known as the tundra hare, is one of the largest hares, found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States. Adults of both sexes measure about 50 to 70 centimetres in length with a tail of up to 8 centimetres more, and the ears are fairly short compared with other hares; in summer the coat is brown with white underparts. It is one of only two hares native to Alaska, the other being the more widespread snowshoe hare, and its closest relatives are the Arctic hare of northern Canada and Greenland and the mountain hare of northern Eurasia. It does not dig burrows, feeds on green plants in summer and on bark and twigs in winter, and is mostly solitary except during the mating season in April and May. Predators include snowy owls, lynx, mustelids, wolves and humans, who typically hunt it for food, and it can carry the bacterium that causes tularemia.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) ThreatsBiological Resource Use 2 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Conservation Status Activity Pattern Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Alaskan hare (Wikipedia)
Lepus, Taxa Source Alaskan hare (Wikipedia)
In Biome
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Alaskan hare (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
They do not dig burrows and are found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States.
Sources
1. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lepus othus
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status
IUCN Red List Least Concern
Conservation Status, cites appendix
CITES No special status
Food Habits
Primary Diet herbivore herbivore folivore folivore lignivore
Behavior, Key Behaviors
crepuscular crepuscular
View the Source 2. NatureServe Explorer: Lepus othus
NatureServe ExplorerTaxon record, global conservation status rank
"roundedGRank": "G4"
Taxon record, short-term trend
"shortTermTrendDescEn": "Decline of 10-30%"
Taxon record, threat assessment: Biological resource use
"displayValueEn": "5 - Biological resource use"
View the Source 3. Alaskan hare (Wikipedia)
Lead, realm
They do not dig burrows and are found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States.
Lead, relationship to people
as well as humans (typically hunted for food)
Lead, living species
The Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae.
In Biome: Tundra, Lead
They do not dig burrows and are found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States.
Child Taxon Of: Leporidae, Lead
The Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae.
Child Taxon Of: Lepus, Lead
The Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae.
In Group: Rodents And Lagomorphs, Lead
The Alaskan hare (Lepus othus), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae.
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