New white hairs replace the old brown ones gradually. These hormonal shifts initiate the growth of a new winter coat while simultaneously causing the old summer fur to shed.
Triggers Snowshoe Hare White Change and How It Happens
The new fur that grows in lacks melanin, resulting in the pure white appearance that offers perfect concealment against snow and ice. This staggered emergence helps maintain some level of camouflage throughout the vulnerable molting period.
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. Role of Melanin and Pigmentation The color of an animal’s fur is determined by melanin, a pigment produced by cells called melanocytes.
What Triggers the Snowshoe Hare's White Change
Survival Advantages of Seasonal Camouflage The most obvious benefit of this color change is crypsis, or the ability to avoid detection by predators. Shedding of the old coat coincides with new growth.
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