White/Partly white Hares winter 2010/11 (was- Unusual pair of hares)

Alun

According to the irishhare.org website ...

Some aspects of the Irish hare’s appearance and ecology make it distinctive. It’s fur rarely turns white in winter, as observed in the Scottish Mountain hare (Lepus timidus scoticus). The coat of the Irish hare may vary in colour throughout the year, sometimes developing white patches. On rare occasions all-white individuals have been recorded and this has sometimes earned them a place in local folklore and legend.

However, yesterday up in the South Prison on Lugnaquillia (in the Wicklow Mountains for anyone unfamiliar with it) I saw an almost completely white hare. It only had a small brown patch on it's back, but was otherwise completely white. I'd have thought that April was quite late even for mountain hares to still have their winter colours, but since there was still some snow up there up to last weekend, maybe it's not so strange after all.

Has anyone else ever seen a white hare in this general area?

nilhg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0FE1rcmvfs

Alun

The is rare example of an all white native irish hare(Lepus timidushibernicus). This fellow was sent up the field during the interval at Sevenhouses.

Where or what is Sevenhouses?

Alun

Got this reply from the Irish Hare Initiative ...

Thanks for your interesting report. You are quite correct, this is very rare sight indeed - white hares in Ireland have acquired mythical status in some parts of the country. I doubt if the whiteness of the fur is due to seasonal change unlike the true mountain hare found in Scotland which does develop a white winter coat. There is a wide variation in the colour of Irish hares and white patches are common throughout the year. In some cases, as probably the case in your hare, the white can cover more than half the body. I've never seen a live white hare but the legendary 'white hare of Creggan' can be found mounted in a glass case in a local visitor centre here in Tyrone.

We welcome any details of hare sightings and I would also be interested to have your opinion on whether you think the hare population in your area is increasing, declining or stable.

donalglackin

theres a white hare on dollymount i seen it twice last year and a friend of mine has seen it a few times this year,

skydancer

Hi folks
I'm up on Rathlin Island, where there are MANY hares. What is particularly interesting is that there are a small number of GOLDEN HARES, which are always a thrill to see.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/naturescalendar/spring/islands/rathlin/rathlin.shtml

johngalway

While out rabbit shooting this afternoon we came across this pair. The rifle is unloaded at all times. Unfortunately I had left my regular camera at home, so had to use the mobile phone camera behind the rifle scope, far from ideal.

Rainbowsend

Looks like they have winter coats on, maybe due to all the snow we had this winter their coats turned white like the Arctic Hares, and now are returning to normal?

LostCovey

Rainbowsend wrote: »

Looks like they have winter coats on, maybe due to all the snow we had this winter their coats turned white like the Arctic Hares, and now are returning to normal?

I agree.

Nice phonescoping BTW

LC

Alun

I've seen a hare with that kind of colouring, i.e. part white / part brown here in Wicklow before. I posted about it then and got a reply from the Irish Hare Initiative which you can find in this thread ... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=59779606

johngalway

We got a blast of snow alright, just the once though, lasted I guess a week or so (I forget ).

Where the bunnies are, there's lots of blowing sand and beach.

Though we saw three other hares about 400 yards away, who were just normally coloured.

There are a couple more reports of hares like in the photo's above on the Hunting forum where I posted this as well.

Darlughda

They look like the indigenous Irish Hare. They change their colour from brown to red normally. However, they are known for their chameleon qualities (and resemblance to rabbits, despite the longer legs and ears), so it would make sense they are appearing more white than usual, after our unusual snowfalls.

Please don't hunt them.

Dusty87

Actually seen one yesterday walking the dogs. I wasnt paying attention until the dogs pulled on the lead. Just seen it hopping into the ditch

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Darlughda wrote: »

They look like the indigenous Irish Hare. They change their colour from brown to red normally. However, they are known for their chameleon qualities (and resemblance to rabbits, despite the longer legs and ears), so it would make sense they are appearing more white than usual, after our unusual snowfalls.

The Irish Hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) does not change colour in response to seasonal or weather changes. So, the recent snow has nothing to do with it. There are variations in markings certainly but these are visable all year round irrespective of weather. They may camoflage well but by no means can you say the Irish Hare has Chameleon qualities when it cannot consiously change it's colour to suit it's surroundings.

Wild_Dogger

Hope you didnt kill them John

Durnish

aren't they related to, or same as, Arctic hares anyways?
I agree that hares can't do anything about their colouring at such short notice (see Darwin).

johngalway

Wild_Dogger wrote: »

Hope you didnt kill them John

I certainly didn't

So what type of hare do ye think they are exactly, or why the colour change?

thyme

Aren't they just looseng there winter coat, I see them around here most days and one is almost snow white, come spring,summer, they are all the same colour (Brown).

Bluefoam

They are not hares. They are polar bears who have migrated here due to global warming and positive financial conditions for the polar bear community.

Tzetze

johngalway wrote: »

So what type of hare do ye think they are exactly, or why the colour change?

Mountain Hare (probably).

thyme

Bluefoam wrote: »

They are not hares. They are polar bears who have migrated here due to global warming and positive financial conditions for the polar bear community.

They have come to the wrong bloody country then.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

johngalway wrote: »

I certainly didn't

So what type of hare do ye think they are exactly, or why the colour change?

Irish Mountain Hares Lepus timidus hibernicus . As already stated, they do not change colour. These Hares are that colour. It's no response to seasons or weather.

thyme wrote: »

Aren't they just looseng there winter coat, I see them around here most days and one is almost snow white, come spring,summer, they are all the same colour (Brown).

Same here. They can change from Brown to almost Red. Some Irish Hares have areas of white fur but they do not go white in Winter coat. It's actually a diagnostic feature of the Irish sub species. Some individuals will show a tendancy toward white in Winter but not to the extent of a pronounced colour change.

Bluefoam wrote: »

They are not hares. They are polar bears who have migrated here due to global warming and positive financial conditions for the polar bear community.

Yes, that helps.:rolleyes:

recedite

Alun wrote: »

I've seen a hare with that kind of colouring, i.e. part white / part brown here in Wicklow before. I posted about it then and got a reply from the Irish Hare Initiative which you can find in this thread ... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=59779606

Near snow on Lugnaquilla, end of winter.

thyme wrote: »

Aren't they just looseng there winter coat, I see them around here most days and one is almost snow white, come spring,summer, they are all the same colour (Brown).

wikipedia wrote:

The subspecies Lepus timidus hibernicus (the Irish Mountain Hare) stays brown all year and individuals rarely develop a white coat

Tony Square Number wrote: »

Irish Mountain Hares Lepus timidus hibernicus . As already stated, they do not change colour. These Hares are that colour. It's no response to seasons or weather.
Same here. They can change from Brown to almost Red. Some Irish Hares have areas of white fur but they do not go white in Winter coat. It's actually a diagnostic feature of the Irish sub species. Some individuals will show a tendancy toward white in Winter but not to the extent of a pronounced colour change.

All the evidence points to the conclusion that the Irish Hare still has some of his ancestral Mountain Hare ability to turn white, at least partially. But as we don't normally see as much snow as we saw in 2010/2011 we don't normally see it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

recedite wrote: »

All the evidence points to the conclusion that the Irish Hare still has some of his ancestral Mountain Hare ability to turn white, at least partially. But as we don't normally see as much snow as we saw in 2010/2011 we don't normally see it.

Absolutely right to a large degree but please don't give the impression that colour change to white (be it hare, ptarmigan, stoat etc) is an immediate response to 2 weeks of snowfall. It is a seasonal adaptation that occurs even when Snow may be scarce in some years. Hares didn't suddenly change colour in response to an increased volume of snow this year.

recedite

I agree,the mechanism is totally different to the short term reaction of a chamaeleon. Its explained here

In most cases, either changing amounts of daylight or shifts in temperature trigger a hormonal reaction in the animal that causes it to produce different biochromes

I'd say that while we have low light levels every year, the extra trigger of sustained sub zero temperatures is normally missing. Even areas that had little snow were subjected to sustained periods of hard frosts in last 12 months.

Ditch

johngalway wrote: »

So what type of hare do ye think they are exactly, or why the colour change?

John; Surely this is a case which could best be concluded by that 'Dr Hare' chap? Ye know, the one interested in the Brown's.

johngalway

Ditch wrote: »

John; Surely this is a case which could best be concluded by that 'Dr Hare' chap? Ye know, the one interested in the Brown's.

Hi Ditch,

Who's this now? Have I come across that fella before? (Edit: Do you mean the fella I was giving the foxes to?).



We have a lot, and I mean a lot, of hares around here and neither myself nor my shooting buddy have seen anything like those before. Very strange for us, but very interesting to see.

Ditch

Sorry, mate. Thought ye knew him. Though I now realise I'm getting confused with the mink guy.

This boy's ye man for hares. Got a bloody doctorate in the things! What he don't know about Irish Hares isn't to be known.

I'm about to PM ye his e mail.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

recedite wrote: »

I agree,the mechanism is totally different to the short term reaction of a chamaeleon. Its explained here

I'd say that while we have low light levels every year, the extra trigger of sustained sub zero temperatures is normally missing. Even areas that had little snow were subjected to sustained periods of hard frosts in last 12 months.

I don't mean to be pedantic about this but you are still asserting that a couple of weeks weather change can bring about a colour change that would not occur in other years (Nature does not operate in those time frames). Without getting too technical, the changing amounts of daylight, or shifts in temperature, certainly trigger a hormonal reaction in some animals that causes them to produce different biological pigments or biochromes. A mammal (or bird) has to produce a whole new coat of fur (or feathers) in order to change colour. This does not happen quckly enough to respond to just 2 weeks of colder weather.
I firmly believe these Hares are among those that always displays areas of White and that it is not related to the snow this year alone.

mallards

Tony Square Number wrote: »

I firmly believe these Hares are among those that always displays areas of White and that it is not related to the snow this year alone.

I'm not so sure about that statement, my hares are the normal brown colour during the summer, like the one below, but I never see hares in the winter without white markings of some sort and as I already said, I have seen a totally white one once.



Mallards

recedite

Tony Square Number wrote: »

I don't mean to be pedantic about this but you are still asserting that a couple of weeks weather change can bring about a colour change that would not occur in other years (Nature does not operate in those time frames).

I think we had two separate cold snaps this winter, the first snow hit the east coast in November I think. That was more than 2 weeks ago. Even ponies and some dogs grow a shaggy winter coat. Many birds moult twice a year; hens always stop laying in the autumn while they get their new plumage sorted out. Its no big deal. Add in an evolutionary advantage for the new coat to be white.... and hey presto a colour change.
Just because some book says Irish Hares don't change colour, does not mean that its always true.