snowshoe hare
British Columbia, Canada

A Snowshoe Hare feeds on lodgepole pine needles in the Cascade Mountains of British Columbia. Turning a stark white during the winter months, camouflage and exceptional hearing are their main defences against predation from the Canada Lynx. Across much of their corresponding ranges, the population cycles of these two species are very closely linked. When hare numbers are low, it causes Lynx to wander in search of food and can result in up to a 40% starvation rate. When hare are plentiful, they comprise the majority of the Lynx' diet; affording them much higher breeding success.

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