These hormonal shifts initiate the growth of a new winter coat while simultaneously causing the old summer fur to shed. New white hairs replace the old brown ones gradually.
How Melanin Production Ceases in Winter, Turning Snowshoe Hares White
During the summer months, the hare’s follicles produce eumelanin, a dark pigment that results in the characteristic brown and black tones that provide camouflage among rocks, soil, and vegetation. The change is a holistic adaptation that addresses both visibility and thermal challenges.
This creates a distinct pattern where the hare can appear half-brown and half-white during the peak of the transition. Shedding of the old coat coincides with new growth.
How Melanin Production Ceases in Winter Snowshoe Hare Fur
Shortening daylight triggers hormonal changes. Melanin production ceases in the new follicles.
More About How do snowshoe hares change color
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