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Now that we are finally beginning to see the snow falling and the mountains turning white, we can really begin to slip into our winter mode. For most of us, this means ensuring the plug is available for the block heater, that all the windows are properly sealed and that our warmest of warm clothes are clean and ready for use. It may also mean that we've begun our regular pilgrimages to the ski hills which are now becoming sufficiently covered for great skiing. With the coming of winter, many of the local animals also begin to change to adapt to this cold, white world. For most this means thicker fur coats to keep the cold out and for others this will be supplemented by coats of a different colour.

We're all aware that many animals change colour in winter in order to maintain their ability to blend with their surroundings. This vital change takes place in several local animals including weasels, snowshoe hares and even ptarmigan. Just what sets off the trigger to begin colour change? This can be one of a variety of factors. For instance, most animals have a very accurate internal clock which allows them to begin preparing for winter before it actually arrives. Although very accurate, this clock may not correspond to the calendar year. It will react to the varying conditions from one year to the next and may initiate colour change earlier or later depending on these conditions.

This clock is set by environmental factors such as the length of daylight, temperature and snowfall. The interaction between these three factors may cause an earlier or later change. This is very important as faulty timing can have deadly consequences. If a snowshoe hare turns white too early, suddenly it stands out in stark contrast to its brown background and is very likely to become dinner for some hungry lynx. On the other hand, if it turns brown too early in the spring, similar consequences may arise.

Different animals also tend to have developed different ways of accomplishing colour change. For instance, weasels replace each hair, one at a time, with a white replacement. This requires that their entire coat be replaced before their colour change is complete. Not only is this beautiful white coat a prized fur (for those that still wear fur), but it is also very effective at hiding the owner from predators. The snowshoe hair, on the other hand, has developed a method of merely turning the tips of the hair white, while the base remains greyish in colour. In this way they don't need to undergo a complete replacement of their coat to change colour.

It's funny, the population of snowshoe hares in this area is quite strong, yet we rarely see them. Generally, there are always many times more prey animals than predators, yet the prey is often so well hidden that it may appear exceedingly rare. I guess that's the best testament to the effectiveness of this strategy. Although you may not see too many hares this winter, take a look around and you will likely see that their tracks in the snow are very common--they simply seem invisible to our eyes.