Imagine that you are looking out on the sparkling snow of a winter morning. All of a sudden a white furry snowball jumps up in front of you. You have just seen a snowshoe rabbit. They are medium size. They can weigh up to 50 pounds. The snowshoe rabbit is white in the winter and a rusty brown in the summer. Rabbits' toes are spread apart and their feet are furry. Their large ears help them control their body temperature. Their ears also help to detect approaching enemies. They have a good sense of smell. They have very strong teeth.

Habitat

Snowshoe rabbits live in wooded forests. They live in lowland areas and in the United States and most of Canada. They also live in the tundra, hollow logs, river sides and swamps.

Snowshoe rabbits eat tree bark, wooden twigs, tree buds,  willow, birch, maple. They also eat raspberries, strawberries. They get their food by jumping and gnawing with their strong teeth. They eat throughout the night.

Their enemies are bobcats, wolves, coyotes, dogs, humans, lynx, snakes, foxes, badgers, weasels, cats, rats, crows, ravens, eagles, owls and hawks.

They can have four to nine babies. It takes 36 days to have their babies. The babies are called kittens. When their young is in danger they will freeze so that they do not bring attention to themselves. The adult hare will quickly change direction to throw their enemies off balance.

Snowshoe rabbits get a lot of diseases. The mother is called a doe. The father is called a buck. Rabbits eat their first droppings to get enough nourishment before final droppings are made. They digest their food for a second time before final droppings are made.

by Lauren, Emily andKatelyn