{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "snowshoe-hare",
  "name": "Snowshoe Hare",
  "scientificName": "Lepus americanus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is a boreal lagomorph that moults from brown in summer to white in winter, matching snow in Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States. Oversized hind feet act as snowshoes. Listed Least Concern, its 8–11 year population cycles famously drive Canada lynx numbers.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Lagomorpha",
    "family": "Leporidae",
    "genus": "Lepus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.5,
    "lengthM": 0.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 45,
    "lifespanYears": 5
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Lepus americanus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Boreal forest, muskeg, and thickets"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 5 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 1.5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 45 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Boreal forests across Canada and Alaska into the northern United States.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/snowshoe-hare/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/snowshoe-hare/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}