Hop, skip and jump with a white mountain hare

Indigenous to Britain, the white mountain hare is without doubt a sight to be seen amongst the snow covered Scottish heather.

This graceful creature is abundant in upland areas and on many Scottish islands. Its coat turns white in winter and is designed for thermal protection which certainly comes in handy on exposed Scottish peaks.

The species in Scotland differs from its Irish counterpart in that its coat turns white in winter; this camouflage effect is more practical on mainland hills than on the islands, where snow is scarce.

The winter coat is, however, designed for thermal protection and this certainly comes in handy on exposed Scottish peaks.

Find out more about spotting wildlife in Scotland this winter.