Snowshoe Rabbit The snow
shoe rabbit lives in forest areas where the ground
is covered with undergrowth in the higher parts of
North America. It migrates throughout the mid west
United States as well. It is larger than other
rabbits and it weighs around three to four pounds
as an adult and can be fifteen to twenty inches. It
has large rear feet and the toes can spread out to
act like snowshoes. Their feet also have fur on the
bottom, which protects them from the cold and gives
them traction in the snow. In the They have three to four litters a year with one to eight in each litter. The Snowshoe Rabbit can run up to 27 mph and jump 10 feet in one hop. It is an expert at escaping predators like the wolf, bobcat, or lynx. When a predator chases it, the rabbit will quickly change direction. They are also good swimmers and will jump in the water to make an escape. The Snowshoe Hare is a herbivore that likes to eat grass, clover and other greens in the summer, and bark, twigs and buds in the winter. Since they are herbivores they are mainly prey. The Snowshoe Hare is not considered endangered but their populations have been studied since the 1800's. by Jai B. 2000.
bibliography: "The Wild Habitat - Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus)", http://library.advanced.org/tq-admin/day.cgi Lepus americanus (Snowshoe Hare)", http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/lepus/l._american us$media.html, (June 2000).
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