Snowshoe hares have an interesting adaptation that helps protect them against predators. Depending on the season, their fur can be a different color. During the winter, snowshoe hares are white, which helps them blend in with the snow. When the seasons change to spring and summer, snowshoe hares turn a gray-brown. This color helps them camouflage with dirt and rocks. The hind legs of a snowshoe hare are large and have more fur and larger toes than those of other rabbits or hares. These adaptations provide additional surface area and support for walking on snow.
For many years most of the rabbits that lived in the cold, snowy countryside of Canada were white. Recently, scientists have noticed that many of the white rabbits in the countryside have been replaced by gray rabbits. What environmental change(s) could have contributed to the change in the rabbits' fur color over the last 150 years?
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One environmental change that could have contributed to the change in the rabbits' fur color over the last 150 years is climate change. As temperatures warm, the snow cover in certain regions may decrease, making white fur less advantageous for camouflage. This could lead to natural selection favoring rabbits with gray fur, as they would be better able to blend in with the changing landscape. Additionally, human activities such as deforestation and urbanization may have altered the rabbits' habitat, creating environments where gray fur provides better camouflage than white fur.
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