In Hatchet, the rabbits Brian ate were snowshoe hares.
Snowshoe hares were about half of Brian’s food source. From the book,
Brian made a bow and that’s how he hunted them.
Snowshoe hares are usually located in Canada and the U.S. Snowshoe hares get
their name from their large feet that allows them to walk on the deep snow along
their habitat. When the weather gets colder throughout the year, their feet
actually grow! With the help of their wide furry toes, this allows them to walk
on the snow.
The snowshoe’s fur color changes and gets thicker about the same time
every year. In late autumn, fur starts to change color from light to brown.
In about 10 weeks, this process will be complete. This is their winter coat.
As you can tell from the book, snowshoe hares are a forest animal, and can be
found in the thick underbrush where they like to stay. This is their cozy home
and their safe place.
The snowshoe hare’s hind legs are its’ best defense. When a predator
approaches, its’ hind legs kick into high gear and it hops away. Other
defense maneuvers, are to dodge and kick the predator. It can run very fast,
reaching speeds up to 30 miles per hour for short distances.
In the summer, snowshoe hares eat off of grasses and weeds. But in the winter,
the food is harder to find. It mainly eats bark and twigs from trees.