Animals & Tracks
Mountain hare - the forest's sprinter
The mountain hare is a pronounced herbivore, and is Norway's only wild-living member of the hare family. The mountain hare has a diet based on herbs and grass, buds, heather, bark and seeds.…
Created: May 30, 2022 10:01 AM
Lepus timidus
Length: 60 cm
Weight: 2 - 5 kg
The mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is a pronounced herbivore, and is Norway’s only wild-living member of the hare family. The mountain hare has a diet based on herbs and grass, buds, heather, bark and seeds. In winter this diet is largely reduced to twigs and bark.
The mountain hare is an animal that has evolved to be on guard against predators. The large ears, and the rather protruding eyes, are easy to spot - but the hare’s speed will make most people open their eyes wide. It can in fact reach speeds of 80 kilometres per hour!
Among hares the females are called sette, and the male ramle. The ramle meet in spring to fight battles to win the females’ favour. These battles can look like outright boxing matches!
Next steps
- Wildlife and tracks — the hub
- Red fox — the hare’s main predator — the predator that takes the hare
- Ptarmigan — other small game in mountain and forest
- Small rodents — other small game
Learn more
- Artsdatabanken — species, status, Red List
- Miljødirektoratet — large carnivores — management
- NINA — the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research — research on Norwegian fauna
- Naturveilederen — Bjørn Henrik Stavdal Johansen — nature interpretation