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Vocal Communication
Arctic hares rarely vocalize,
but David Gray and his research team heard three
kinds of sounds: Prior to nursing their young,
female hares make a noise like a growl, which
seems to be a signal to the young that it is
time for suckling. A second and better-known
sound is the scream produced by a hare in distress,
such as when a young hare was captured by hand.
A ferocious low growl was made by a hare caught
in a net and struggling against its captors.
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Social Behaviour
Huge
Hare Herds | Dominance
and Territory
Communication | Activity
Cycle | Play
Communication
As with any animal living in groups, communication among
Arctic hares is an essential part of the social way of life.
For Arctic hares the key method of communication is olfactory,
that is, communication by smell
and scent. Hares also rely
on body language. For hares the position of ears is the most
important of the visual signals.
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 Grooming of the fur is an important part of an Arctic hare's daily routine. Before and after each resting period, hares spend several minutes carefully cleaning and combing the fur on their face, ears, body, legs and feet.
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Activity Cycle
The activities of Arctic hares in a group are synchronized,
in that they feed and rest at about the same time.
In late winter in the High Arctic, hares feed actively in
the early to mid-morning, rest for two to three hours, and
feed again in the mid-afternoon. The morning rest period
is highly synchronized with most hares in an area resting
at the same time. Another less-coordinated rest period happens
in the evening before midnight.
In the southern part of the Arctic hare range, south of
the Arctic Circle, where Arctic hares are more influenced
by the year-round cycle of light and dark, they are generally
nocturnal: they rest during the day and begin to feed at
dusk.
Play
In summer, groups of hares indulge in a frisky, running
play, jumping and chasing each other across the tundra. On
occasion, such playful jumping and running can become so
intense that it not only defies description, but also belief.
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