CreatureData

Arctic hare vs Mountain hare

The Arctic hare is heavier: 4.41 kg against 3.05 kg for the mountain hare, about 45% more.

Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus)
Arctic hare LCLeast Concern
Photo: Chmee2 · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Mountain hare (Lepus timidus)
Mountain hare LCLeast Concern
Photo: Правительство Волгоградской области · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What is the difference between a Arctic hare and a mountain hare?

Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.

  • The Arctic hare is heavier: 4.41 kg against 3.05 kg for the mountain hare, about 45% more.
  • The mountain hare is longer-lived: 14.6 years against 10.1 years for the Arctic hare, about 45% longer.
  • Both belong to the genus Lepus, so they are close relatives.
  • Both are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Side by side

Arctic hareMountain hare
Scientific nameLepus arcticusLepus timidus
FamilyLeporidaeLeporidae
OrderLagomorphaLagomorpha
Weight3.03 kg – 4.41 kg3.03 kg – 3.05 kg
LengthNot recordedNot recorded
Lifespan10.1 years14.6 years
Main foodNot recordedNot recorded
HabitatNot recordedgrassland
Conservation statusLeast ConcernLeast Concern
Countries recordedNot recordedNot recorded

A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.

Full record: Arctic hareFull record: Mountain hareCompare other animals