We don't have wild rabbits here in Nova Scotia, but we do have wild snowshoe hares like this cute baby from a few years ago. Soon we will all be back outside in the warm weather and sunshine, and you may come across baby snowshoes in your yard.
It's very common to see baby hares (known as leverets) without mom. While hares are born fully furred, eyes open, and are mobile shortly after being born, for the first 3-4 weeks of life they are still very vulernable. Mom protects them from predators by taking her stronger scent away during the day while she forages over areas large enough to produce enough milk. The young will move around separately to different hiding areas, and will gather together in a common spot when mom comes back to nurse them - usually once a day at dusk or dawn.
If they aren't obviously injured, shivering, laying on their side or can't get up - or you can confirm mom is dead, then they are likely fine. Keep a secretive eye out for mom!
And as your grass gets long and you're considering your first mow of the year, walk your yard and look for critters. Hares and ground-nesting birds may be in your yard hidden in the grass! We get animals every year that have been hit with mowers.
In The Spotlight
Baby season is almost upon us!
**** Via Hope for Wildlife
Baby season is almost upon us!
We don't have wild rabbits here in Nova Scotia, but we do have wild snowshoe hares like this cute baby from a few years ago. Soon we will all be back outside in the warm weather and sunshine, and you may come across baby snowshoes in your yard.
It's very common to see baby hares (known as leverets) without mom. While hares are born fully furred, eyes open, and are mobile shortly after being born, for the first 3-4 weeks of life they are still very vulernable. Mom protects them from predators by taking her stronger scent away during the day while she forages over areas large enough to produce enough milk. The young will move around separately to different hiding areas, and will gather together in a common spot when mom comes back to nurse them - usually once a day at dusk or dawn.
If they aren't obviously injured, shivering, laying on their side or can't get up - or you can confirm mom is dead, then they are likely fine. Keep a secretive eye out for mom!
And as your grass gets long and you're considering your first mow of the year, walk your yard and look for critters. Hares and ground-nesting birds may be in your yard hidden in the grass! We get animals every year that have been hit with mowers.
We don't have wild rabbits here in Nova Scotia, but we do have wild snowshoe hares like this cute baby from a few years ago. Soon we will all be back outside in the warm weather and sunshine, and you may come across baby snowshoes in your yard.
It's very common to see baby hares (known as leverets) without mom. While hares are born fully furred, eyes open, and are mobile shortly after being born, for the first 3-4 weeks of life they are still very vulernable. Mom protects them from predators by taking her stronger scent away during the day while she forages over areas large enough to produce enough milk. The young will move around separately to different hiding areas, and will gather together in a common spot when mom comes back to nurse them - usually once a day at dusk or dawn.
If they aren't obviously injured, shivering, laying on their side or can't get up - or you can confirm mom is dead, then they are likely fine. Keep a secretive eye out for mom!
And as your grass gets long and you're considering your first mow of the year, walk your yard and look for critters. Hares and ground-nesting birds may be in your yard hidden in the grass! We get animals every year that have been hit with mowers.
