Now You See Us, Now You Don’t: Seasonal Camouflage
In Grand Teton National Park, a small creature performs a seasonal transformation that appears magical. The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) changes its fur color to blend seamlessly with its environment, ensuring survival in a landscape that transforms dramatically between winter and summer seasons. This fascinating adaptation reveals one aspect of the intricate relationships that have evolved between animals and their habitats over deep time.
As summer wanes and autumn days grow shorter, the hare’s yellowish reddish brown fur begins to shed, replaced by a coat of pristine white. This transition is triggered by photoperiod, or the length of daylight, rather than immediate weather conditions. The resulting white coat provides excellent camouflage against the snowy landscape and, combined with the hare’s snowshoe-like hind feet, serves to protect it from predators such as foxes, coyotes, owls, and lynx. With the arrival of spring, as the snow melts and the forest floor reemerges in earthy tones, the process is reversed, and the hare trades its winter whites for a brown coat to match the thawing environment.
The hare’s seasonal camouflage is a remarkable evolutionary adaptation, but it is not without its challenges. In recent years, climate change has altered snowfall patterns, with snow arriving later and melting earlier. This creates a short period of mismatch between the hare’s fur color and its surroundings, leaving the animal vulnerable to predators during the “shoulder season.”. Scientists are studying how snowshoe hares may adjust to these changes, either through shifts in their molting schedule or by finding new ways to evade predation.
The snowshoe hare’s changing coat is a powerful reminder of nature’s resilience and the delicate balance of ecosystems. It is a small yet vivid example of how species are intricately connected to their environment—and how those connections are being tested in an era of rapid environmental change.
Just as the snowshoe hare is hard to see during the winter, those of us who are river rats are also invisible. Jackson Hole rafting guides hiding out in our winter jobs, and may be dressed as ski patrollers, classroom teachers, or UPS drivers. But, just as the hare’s brown coat returns when the greens of spring return, our winter coats will be shed and you can see us in all our short-sleeved glory, splashing about on the beautiful Snake River.
Barker-Ewing’s office is now open and we are taking reservations for the summer Snake River rafting season. Hope to see you all on the river!
