Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large North American hare with notably large hind feet: The "snowshoe hare" is a species of hare characterized by its substantial size and disproportionately large hind feet, which function like snowshoes.
   • An animal with seasonal camouflage: This hare has fur that changes color with the seasons, typically turning white in winter to blend in with snowy environments and brown in summer.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The population of the snowshoe hare fluctuates in a well-documented cycle.
  • We spotted a snowshoe hare, still in its brown summer coat, darting into the underbrush.
  • The large feet of the snowshoe hare prevent it from sinking into deep snow.

Advanced Usage

• Ecological context: The term is often used in discussions about predator-prey dynamics, particularly its cyclical relationship with the lynx.
  • The classic ecology textbook example involves the interdependent population cycles of the lynx and the snowshoe hare.

Variants and Related Words

• Snowshoe hare (noun): The primary term. Also regionally known as the "varying hare" due to its changing coat color.
• Lepus americanus (noun): The scientific, taxonomic name for the species.

Synonyms

• Varying hare: A synonym that emphasizes the seasonal change in fur color.

Related Phrases

• Snowshoe hare cycle: Refers to the predictable, multi-year population boom and bust pattern of this species.
  • Researchers are studying how climate change might disrupt the traditional snowshoe hare cycle.

Noun

1. large large-footed North American hare; white in winter