Tim writes: the Mountain Hares in the Peak District were introduced from Scotland during the Nineteenth Century by the shooting fraternity after some diversity of things to kill. Ironically the gamekeepers are trying to get rid of them as unnecessary vectors of ticks that can pass the disease louping ill on to grouse.
In Scotland the snow cover is more prolonged and predictable on the hills so the white pelage keeps them camouflaged in winter. But snow is not nearly as frequent or persistent in the Peak District, but the Hares still turn white in winter, where they stand out like sore thumbs. One of their key predators in Scotland is Golden Eagle, which will maintain the colour change through Natural Selection (a hare that doesn’t turn white in Scotland during winter will be more likely to be spotted by an eagle). But there are no eagles in the Peak District so this population lacks the main selective force for maintaining adaptive colouration.
I spotted this one as I was out for a walk on the moors. He seemed to be instinctively relying on his inappropriate camouflage and did not move while I took this photograph.
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