Snowshoe Rabbit Genus: Lepus Species: Americanus
The Snowshoe Rabbit lives in the forest area in North America and hibernates in the midwest of the United States. It is a herbivore so it eats mostly plants and grass. Weighing at about 3-4 pounds and being 15-20 inches as an adult, it makes this rabbit larger then most others. Its rear feet are large and its toes can spread apart like snowshoes. To give them traction in the snow they have fur on the bottom of their feet. Its fur is a rusty, grayish brown in the summer but in the winter its fur is a pure white which helps it hide from predators. The Snowshoe Rabbit can run as fast as 27 miles per hour and in one hop it can jump as far as 10 feet. This helps it get away from predators like the Bobcat, Lynx or Wolf.