Saving Scotland's Species - Mountain Hares

Scotland’s wildlife is amazing, but it's in crisis. We want to see greater protection for all nature and greater commitment to action on species recovery specifically, including for some of Scotland’s most iconic wildlife. In today’s blog Kate Stevenson, Head of Legacy Marketing, tells us why she's picked Mountain Hares as her favourite Scottish species.

Why are Mountain Hares important to Scotland?

Mountain Hares are the only native hare in Scotland, with the brown hare introduced during the Iron Age, this makes them incredibly important not only in the balance of our ecosystem but as part of our heritage.  Mountain Hare populations have declined in recent years and populations are under threat from habitat loss, fragmentation, and local over-exploitation.  Long-term climate change is also likely to adversely influence the sub-arctic/alpine habitats favoured by Mountain Hares. They are classed as Near Threatened in Scotland on the UK Red List of Mammal Species and were given full protection in Scotland in March 2021. 

Tell us about a time you saw a Mountain Hare in real life/up close?

As a wildlife photographer I have been lucky enough to experience some incredible encounters with different animal species over the last few years.  Being in the presence of a Mountain Hare is an extraordinary privilege and each experience is unique and special. Finding them often requires a steep, lengthy walk up a big hill! Not an easy task when carrying camera gear, your lunch, water and all the normal essentials – bags of jelly babies! Well camouflaged and living in extreme landscapes, capturing images of Mountain Hares can be really challenging but completely rewarding.  I have made several trips to remote areas of the Cairngorms National Park in the hope of spotting and spending time with these amazing animals.  Whilst there are other locations around Scotland to see them, there is something special about the area, and whilst you need to go through a bit of effort to find them, it is always worth it in the end.  I had a lovely encounter a couple of years ago.  It was late summer and the Mountain Hares were starting to change into their winter coats so a lovely blend of dark fur with patches of white. The surrounding landscape changing too, the heather transitioning from purple to a faded pinky brown.  After crawling around in the heather, stupidly wearing shorts and now with legs covered in scratches, I spent some time with a lovely hare whilst it was chilling out and taking a nap.  As a wildlife photographer, a sleeping mountain hare isn’t very exciting, but after some patience of just sitting with it for a while, I was thrilled when it decided to shuffle around and have a good clean and scratch before settling back down for more dream time.  Any wildlife photography doesn’t need just skill behind the camera, but field craft of the species you are looking to capture.  Recognising the importance that you are entering their world and deep respect for both the landscape and wildlife you are visiting.  Photographing Mountain Hares takes a lot of patience and sometimes a little bit of luck!

Mountain Hare having a good scratch. Kate Stevenson, Scottish Sisters Photography. Copyright: Permission is granted for use in this article only and must not be shared.

Where do Mountain Hares usually live?

Mountain Hares normally live in polar or upland habitats generally above 300/400m, perfectly suited to the cold mountainous landscapes of the Scottish Highlands and Southern Uplands. They don’t live in burrows but shallow depressions called ‘forms’ in the ground.  They are at their most visible in spring, when the snow has melted but the hares are still white.

What do Mountain Hares need to survive/thrive?

Mountain Hares will graze on vegetation, nibble bark from young trees and bushes and forage on the heather buried under the snow during winter.   Mountain Hares are nocturnal, resting during the day and active at night to feed. Mountain Hares are well adapted to their cold, snowy environments and survive through camouflage of their coasts against the backdrop of the landscape.  They moult twice a year, changing coat colour to blend into the environment around them.  In summer, their coat is a grey-brown colour with a tinge of blue, making them hard to spot against the typical backdrop of heather moorland.  In winter, they change to almost completely white to camouflage with the snow, only their ear tips stay black. When disturbed or to evade predators, they can be seen bounding across the moors using their powerful hind legs to propel them forwards, often in a zigzag pattern.

What’s a fun/surprising fact about Mountain Hares?

They can run incredibly fast at around 45mph! Their winter coat includes heavily furred back paws which act like snowshoes, spreading their weight over a larger surface area to stop them from sinking too far into the snow.  Helpful for a speedy departure when evading predators. 

Mountain Hare in summer. Kate Stevenson, Scottish Sisters Photography. Copyright: Permission is granted for use in this article only and must not be shared.

Can you tell us a short personal story about Mountain Hares?

It has been an absolutely pleasure to be able to spend time with these amazing animals in all seasons but I think my favourite time is in the snow. There is something special about being in such an extreme environment knowing that this little animal spends its life surviving in it. Ok, so they are nice and warm in their winter coats whilst my fingers are freezing, but seeing them in their white pelage against the snowy background is a real treat. Snow is also lots of fun, and when out photographing Mountain Hares in these conditions, can also warrant for some fun sledging in your water proofs down the steep hills, although not sure the camera gear always agrees! With our changing climate and warming temperatures, this is unfortunately putting Mountain Hares at risk. Less snow means that they stick out like a sore thumb against uncovered landscapes which is more likely more frequently as our climate warms. This makes them an easy target for a soaring eagle who can spot them from 2 miles away. Our native Mountain Hare plays a vital part in the biodiversity of our lands and if we don’t take action now, we are at risk of losing a key species forever. Whilst now protected, their ongoing plight to recover must be highlighted as part of Scotland’s biodiversity Strategy and long term goals to save nature for the future. I simply can’t imagine our Scottish Hills without these amazing, delicate, beautiful creatures and hope that we continue to see them zigzagging across the moors for a long time.

Learn more about our #SaveScotSpecies campaign here, and pick your favourite species here. Don’t forget to send our digital postcard to your MSPs asking them to make species recovery a priority.

Main image: A Mountain Hare in winter fur, hunkered down in snow. Kate Stevenson, Scottish Sisters Photography. Copyright: Permission is granted for use in this article only and must not be shared.