Less snowpack a fatal fashion faux pas for snowshoe hare

Admittedly it sounds a bit silly, but imagine you’re born with essentially the sole purpose of being devoured by something higher up the food chain. Camouflage would be a fairly important defense mechanism, right?
It certainly is for the snowshoe hare. Unlike its cousin, the rabbit, hares don’t burrow. They’re born and live above ground. They’re exposed and camouflage is key.
And it turns out climate change – specifically, a decrease of snowpack – may hinder the hare’s ability to blend into its surroundings.
In tonight’s feature interview with Edward O’Brien, University of Montana wildlife biologist, Professor L. Scott Mills, discusses his research studying this very conundrum and how the hare would have to adapt to this new challenge.