Snowshoe hares in the Kluane region of Yukon are increasingly becoming more visible against their natural surroundings, as revealed in a recent study. Researchers are now questioning whether this heightened visibility will render hare populations more susceptible to predators in the long run.
Snowshoe hares undergo moulting during fall and spring to adapt to their environment and stay warm in winter, as explained by Charles Krebs, a zoologist at the University of British Columbia and one of the contributors to a study published in the Royal Society Open Science journal. With changing climatic conditions impacting temperatures and snow coverage, the research team sought to investigate if snowshoe hares in the Kluane area are altering their moulting schedules – switching between brown and white fur – and if there is a prolonged mismatch between their coat colors and environmental surroundings.
Alice Kenney, another co-author of the study, highlighted the ongoing concern regarding the potential exacerbation of this mismatch due to climate change. Despite initial expectations, the study did not uncover any discernible shift indicating that snowshoe hares are changing color later in the fall or earlier in the spring in response to climate variations. However, the research did reveal a growing discrepancy between the hares’ coats and their local habitat, leading to reduced camouflage during spring and fall seasons.
Snowshoe hares are integral to the ecosystem due to their 10-year population cycle, which involves gradual increments followed by sudden declines. This cycle influences the population dynamics of predators such as lynx, coyote, and goshawks, which depend on hares as a primary food source. Consequently, changes in hare populations can trigger ripple effects throughout the boreal forest ecosystem.
Alice Kenney has been studying hares and other local species in Kluane since the 1980s and initiated a camera trap project around a decade ago. This initiative involves utilizing trail cameras to capture daily time-lapse images for studying wildlife populations in a non-intrusive manner. The study on hares utilized camera trap data from 2016 to 2022 to compare snow cover levels with the whiteness of snowshoe hares’ fur.
Brian Melanson, a trapper near Kluane, observed an abundance of white hares this fall before the snow arrived, noting increased predation activity by hawks and eagles. Researchers, including Krebs, emphasized that predators exploit heightened visibility of hares. While short-term spikes in predation may not significantly impact hare populations, the long-term consequences of coat-color mismatch remain uncertain.
As climate change continues to induce unpredictable temperature and snow patterns, Krebs suggests that snowshoe hares may eventually adjust their moulting cycles to align better with their surroundings, potentially reducing predation risks. However, this adaptation process could extend beyond typical study durations, highlighting the importance of prolonged monitoring to comprehend ecological shifts effectively.
Nick Johnson, a Kluane First Nation member involved in the project, plans to pass on his responsibilities to another community member, underscoring the significance of sustaining this research initiative in the abundant Kluane region.