Why does a mountain hare change its coat?

Have you ever stroked a fluffy cat or dog? Feel how soft and warm the fur is under your hand. High on snowy mountains lives a hare with fur just as soft.

This mountain hare has a brown coat in summer. In winter, its coat turns snowy white. So why does a mountain hare change its coat?

In summer, the mountain is covered with brown earth, grey rocks and dry grass. The hare's brown fur looks just like them. So the hare can blend in, which means looking like the things all around it.

Blending in matters, because hungry animals hunt the hare. A fox sniffs along the ground, and an eagle watches from the sky. When the hare sits still among the brown rocks, they look right past it.

Then autumn comes, and the days grow short and chilly. Soon snow will cover the mountain in white. A brown hare on white snow would stand out, like a crumb on a clean white plate.

So the hare's brown fur falls out, a little at a time. Thick white fur grows in its place. By the time the snow comes, the hare can blend in with it.

All winter, the white hare crouches in the snow. The fox trots by and sees only white. When spring melts the snow, how would a white hare look on the brown ground?

A white hare would stand out, easy for a fox to spot. So the white fur falls out, and brown fur grows back. Now the hare blends in with the brown ground again. Every year, its coat follows the colours of the mountain.

When the mountain turns white or brown, the hare grows new fur to match. That way it can blend in, and hungry foxes cannot spot it.

High on the mountain, fresh snow sparkles in the morning sun. Somewhere in all that white, a soft white hare sits quiet and still.