北極圈的冰冷世界

哈囉！歡迎光臨北極圈地帶，這是北極野兔，這品種跟家兔的特徵有些微不同，北極野兔的身形較大， 耳朵和後肢都比較小，身體肥胖，體重大約4～5.5公斤，重則7公斤重。北極野兔有一身蓬鬆的絨毛，通常擅長在地上或雪地挖洞，於溫暖洞裡睡覺存活。可有效防止熱量散失以適應北極圈的嚴冬環境。

牠們的生存絕招，就是能隨著季節的不同而改變自己的顏色，夏天和秋天為灰褐色，到冬天時毛色變為白色。白色能起光學反射作用，使天敵難以發現。 所以人們也稱它為雪兔。北極野兔是食草本動物，在冬天時於雪上挖深洞吃苔蘚地衣，其它季節吃植物根部、嫩葉、野果、雜草和樹皮。母的北極野兔，於春天或初夏繁殖，每年只能產一窩，每窩大約有2～8隻小野兔， 幼兔停留於母兔的活動範圍，到九月時已經成長迅速，直到有足夠能力獨自謀生。如果牠們沒有被天敵掠食或是反常起因，牠們的壽命平均為5年。很厲害的是幼兔剛產下來就能看東西，這應該也環境造就出來的物種吧！

週末(4/26)這裡的冰棍球協會舉辦了晚餐，因為傑西當教練義工，所以我們受邀餐會，我們結束餐會後，回到家附近遇到這兩隻北極野兔，平常時我只看到一隻，今天我們特別幸運，居然看到兩隻正在玩耍求偶戲幕，牠們追趕碰跳的情節，讓我和傑西看得不亦樂乎。依據加拿大的野生動物協會研究，三月起公的北極野兔會在白天開始增加求偶行為，在有限特定的時間生出小野兔，經過最適宜的夏天哺養與成長來迎對嚴寒的冬天存活。現在太陽愈來愈晚下沈，晚上十點還很雪亮，到六月時永晝的循環又要上演了！

Hello, welcome to North of The Arctic Circle! Those are Arctic hare, which look like rabbits but have shorter ears and are taller when standing. The body mass of this species is typically between 4 to 5.5 kg, though large individuals can weigh up to 7 kg. Hare survive with a thick coat of fur and usually dig holes in the ground or under snow to keep warm and sleep. They can thrive in cold climates. The arctic hare changes its coat color, molting and growing new fur. The change from brown or grey in the summer and fall, to white in the winter to remain camouflaged as the environment changes. The arctic hare's diet consists primarily of woody plants, mosses, and lichens, which they may dig through the snow to find in winter. In other seasons they eat buds, berries, leaves, roots, grasses, and bark. Females give birth to one litter per year, in spring or early summer. Two to eight young hares grow quickly and by September resemble their parents. The young hares stay within the mother's home range until they are old enough to survive on their own. They will be ready to breed the following year. Their average life span is five years if they are not killed by predation or unnatural causes.

We went to the community ice hockey league’s year end event yesterday because Jesse volunteered as a coach; therefore, we were invited to this supper; when we finished the meal we walked home and we saw a couple of Arctic hare playing close to our house. It was such a joy to watch them frolic around!

In accordance withCanadian Museum of Nature, the male Arctic hare's display behaviour may be triggered by the increase in daylight in March. All breeding needs to occur in a limited and specific time so that the young are born at the optimum time for adequate summer feeding and growth that will allow them to survive the coming winter.

Now the days are growing longer here. It means that 24 hour daylight will be upon us soon.