Most northerly lagomorph

The world's most northerly species of lagomorph (i.e., hares, rabbits and pikas) is the Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus). Its boreal distribution stretches as far as the northernmost tip of Greenland, which at 89°N is only one degree south of the North Pole; its range also covers much of northern Canada. Like many boreal mammal species, its coat colour changes from brown in the summer to white in the winter, thereby assisting its camouflage amid its environment's snowy terrain.

In Greenlandic, the name of this animal is Ukaleq. When feeding, Arctic hares have been known to gather in groups as large as 300, though a more typical number is 10 to 60.

The Arctic hare should not be confused with the Alaskan (tundra) hare (L. othus), which looks superficially similar to it, but has noticeably shorter ears. As its name indicates, this latter species is indigenous to Alaska, USA, not being found in Greenland, and hence is not so northerly in distribution as the Arctic hare. Its short ears assist in conserving its body's internal heat during Alaska's bitterly cold winter months.