ANIMALS with WINTER COATS

WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBITS
They are members of the hare family. They can be found in fields and are often seen near cities and towns.

The White-tailed Jack rabbits turn from brown to white in the fall and from white to brown in the spring.

The tips of their ears stay black and their tails stay white all year round.

The white coat helps the hare hide in the snow.

In spring , the hare loses the white fur and it grows back each fall.

They have three layers of fur.....

• inside layer - thick , dark brown
  
• second layer - longer fur, lighter brown
  
• outer layer - longest fur, white in colour, covers the brown layers.

During winter they eat whatever they are able to find, including bushes in your garden and bark from young trees.

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THE WEASEL (or ERMINE)

The weasel's coat turns from brown to white in the fall.

Only the tip of the tail stays black.

The white coat helps the weasel to sneak up on its prey.

Kings and queens used to have robes trimmed with ermine fur.

Weasels eat small rodents (mice,voles), ground squirrels and birds.

The animals are useful to man because they keep the mice and rat populations from becoming too large.

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MICE, VOLES, AND SHREWS

Snow is very important to these small mammals.

During the winter they live under the snow.

The temperature is much warmer beneath the snow.

Weasels burrow under the snow to catch these small animals.

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TEST

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HUNTERS and the HUNTED (wolves, coyotes, deer family )

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