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Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

Mammal · family Leporidae · order Lagomorpha

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
24 states[3]
Typical length
20 in[4]

The Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is a mammal in the hare and rabbit family, also called the Varying Hare[5][6]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide and in the United States, and it is native to 24 US states and territories[2][7][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Snowshoe Hare G5 (Secure) worldwide and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][7]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[8]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe notes that hares in some parts of the Appalachians, such as Virginia, have declined[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[7] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[8] Least concern

Where Snowshoe Hare lives

NatureServe lists the Snowshoe Hare as native in 24 US states and territories, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming[3]. NatureServe ranks it as extirpated or possibly extirpated, meaning gone from the state, in Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia[10]. State lists show where NatureServe records the species, so they are not a promise that you will see one.

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: native, state rank S5MEWisconsin: native, state rank S3WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank S5WAIdaho: native, state rank S3IDMontana: native, state rank S4MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: native, state rank S4MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S4MAOregon: native, state rank S4ORNevada: native, state rank S3NVWyoming: native, state rank S5WYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXOHPennsylvania: native, state rank S4PANew Jersey: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNJConnecticut: native, state rank S4CTRhode Island: native, state rank S3RICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S3UTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S3WVVirginia: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXVAMaryland: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S2NMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (29 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS5Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS4Apparently Secure
IdahoS3Vulnerable
MaineS5Secure
MarylandSHPossibly Extirpated
MassachusettsS4Apparently Secure
MichiganS4Apparently Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MontanaS4Apparently Secure
NevadaS3Vulnerable
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseySXPresumed Extirpated
New MexicoS2Imperiled
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaSXPresumed Extirpated
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OhioSXPresumed Extirpated
OregonS4Apparently Secure
PennsylvaniaS4Apparently Secure
Rhode IslandS3Vulnerable
UtahS3Vulnerable
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaSXPresumed Extirpated
WashingtonS5Secure
West VirginiaS3Vulnerable
WisconsinS3Vulnerable
WyomingS5Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records the Snowshoe Hare in several kinds of forest and woodland, plus shrubland, old fields, forested wetlands and bogs or fens[12]. It favors thick cover in conifer and mixed forests, and a dense layer of plants under the trees matters to it[13]. It rests in dense cover during the day and generally avoids underground burrows[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size and diet

The Snowshoe Hare is a herbivore, which means it eats only plants[14][15]. In summer it eats soft green plants, and in winter it eats twigs, buds and bark from small trees[16]. NatureServe gives a typical length of 52 cm (20 in)[4] and a typical adult weight of 3 lb[17]. Litter size is 1 to 6 young, and the average is 3[18]. Females can have 1 to 4 litters a year[18]. The longest recorded lifespan is up to about 5 years[18].

Trait Value
Typical length[4] 52 cm (20 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 1.4 kg (3 lb)
Food habits[14] Herbivore
Active[19] nocturnal
Migration[20] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[15]

  • 100% other plant material

When to look for it

The Snowshoe Hare is mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, which means it is most active around dawn and dusk and at night[21][22]. NatureServe lists it as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[20]. The breeding season runs from February to mid-August, and young are born from May to August[18]. On GBIF, most observation records fall in May, June and July, which shows when people report the animal and not how many there are[23].

January: 639 recordsJanFebruary: 734 recordsFebMarch: 678 recordsMarApril: 713 recordsAprMay: 1,010 recordsMayJune: 1,436 recordsJunJuly: 1,502 recordsJulAugust: 971 recordsAugSeptember: 506 recordsSepOctober: 437 recordsOctNovember: 564 recordsNovDecember: 581 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January639
February734
March678
April713
May1,010
June1,436
July1,502
August971
September506
October437
November564
December581

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Snowshoe Hare as present in 38 park units[24]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 14 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, Minnesota, Washington, Vermont, Maine[25]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Snowshoe Hare endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide[2].
Where does the Snowshoe Hare live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 24 US states and territories, from Alaska and Washington to Maine and West Virginia[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in five states, including Ohio and Virginia[10].
What does the Snowshoe Hare eat?
It eats plants only[14]. In summer it eats soft green plants, and in winter it eats twigs, buds and bark of small trees[16].
How big is a Snowshoe Hare?
NatureServe records a typical length of 52 cm (20 in)[4] and a typical adult weight of 3 lb[17].
How long does a Snowshoe Hare live?
The longest recorded lifespan is up to about 5 years[18].

Facts and sources

  1. Snowshoe Hare is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Snowshoe Hare: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Snowshoe Hare as native in 24 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oregon,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 52 cm (20 in). NatureServe Explorer
  5. Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is a mammal in the family Leporidae, order Lagomorpha. NatureServe Explorer
  6. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Snowshoe Hare: Varying Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  8. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe notes on trend for Snowshoe Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe ranks Snowshoe Hare as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Snowshoe Hare (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Snowshoe Hare: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Old field, Forested wetland, Bog/fen. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Snowshoe Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. NatureServe notes on food for Snowshoe Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1.4 kg (3 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Snowshoe Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  20. NatureServe migration category for Snowshoe Hare: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  21. NatureServe notes on phenology for Snowshoe Hare. NatureServe Explorer
  22. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  23. GBIF observation records of Snowshoe Hare in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  24. NPSpecies park lists recording Snowshoe Hare as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  25. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Snowshoe Hare: Alaska, Minnesota, Washington, Vermont, Maine. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.