One of the mammals that is well adapted to living high in the San Juan Mountains year-round are snowshoe hares. Unlike rabbits or desert hares, they have very large hind feet, which enable them to travel efficiently and quickly over the snow to avoid predators. They are, however, preyed on by a number of different predators including fox, coyotes, bobcats and similarly equipped lynx, which also have very large feet for their size. Their long, powerful rear legs make them very fast even in the snow. Their survival depends on these adaptations as well as their excellent camouflage, which changes from their white coat that blends into the snow-covered forest in winter, to a brown coat in summer. Even so, they don’t tend to survive very long and thus like rabbits, they produce a significant number of offspring having 2-3 litters each year.
In the winter, their distinctive tracks are a common sight in the snow, although finding one can be challenging. Given their excellent camouflage, it is not uncommon to see them only when they take off running. They are nocturnal and are most active early in the morning or in the evening. Like most prey animals they are good at quietly standing motionless to avoid catching the attention of a predator.