雪鞋兔(Snowshoe hare)

　　Snowshoe hare是北美洲的一种野兔。

雪鞋兔分布图

　　由于它们的后脚很大，故被命名为“雪鞋”兔。它们的脚就像人们在雪地里穿的雪鞋一样可以防止它们在行走时或跳跃时陷入雪里。Snowshoe hare脚底的皮毛可以帮它们抵御寒冷。

　　雪鞋兔的毛在夏天时是锈褐色的，到了冬天时就会转变为白色，这是它们的一种伪装，冬天在雪地里就不容易被捕食者发现。它们的腹部两侧全年也是白色的，耳朵边有黑色的绒毛，耳朵要比大部分其他野兔的短。

　　夏天

　　冬天

　　生活习性

　　雪鞋兔夏天时会吃植物，如草、蕨类及叶子。到了冬天，它们就会吃树枝、树皮及芽等，有时也会像北极兔一样从陷阱中偷取肉来吃。当有死去动物的尸体时，它们也会化身肉食动物。比如在缺乏蛋白质的摄入时，它们就会吃一些死亡的啮齿科动物。它们主要于夜间活动，并且不会冬眠。

　　生长繁殖

　　白靴兔每一年会生四胎，平均会生3-8只幼兔。雄兔会互相竞争来与雌兔交配，雌兔会与多只雄兔交配。

　　Difference between Rabbits and Hares

　　Hares are also larger, have longer ears, and are less social than rabbits. The "most profound difference" is seen in baby hares versus baby bunnies, said Philip Stott, a wildlife ecologist at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

　　Newborn hares, called leverets, are fully developed at birth—furred with open eyes—while newborn rabbits, called kittens or kits, are born undeveloped, with closed eyes, no fur, and an inability to regulate their own temperature, Stott said.

　　Their nests are also worlds apart—"hares live completely aboveground, lacking the normal burrow or warren system of rabbits," said Michael Sheriff, an ecologist at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania.

　　相应篇章：TPO20-LECTURE4

　　小伙伴们来看看TPO20-lecture4的第四题就靠查到了我们上面提到的知识点。

　　The professor implies that the snowshoe hare has an advantage over other animals because of its unusual feet. What is that advantage?

　　A. It can reach food in higher locations better than its competitors.

　　B. It can stay warm in cold weather longer than its competitors.

　　C. It can outrun its predators in deep snow.

　　D. It can dig under the snow to hide from its predators.

　　其实根据上面的介绍，我们已经知道雪鞋兔之所以叫这个名字都是因为它的脚的特点，它的脚最特别的地方就是可以帮助雪鞋兔在雪地上健步如飞。那么躲避捕食者自然也是不在话下了。

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