Blink, and you'll miss it

The mountain hare is doubly hard to catch sight of because, along with its tremendous speed, it's terrifically well camouflaged. These two traits help this iconic species survive in the rugged mountains and uplands of northern Europe and Asia — this one is dashing across a heath in the Scottish Highlands. When they have to, these speedy leporids can dart away as fast as 80 kmph, at least for short distances, allowing them to outrun predators and disappear safely into the heather. But a would-be predator may not even spy them to begin with — mountain hares change coats or molt, several times a year, their fur going from brown and gray in summer, to white-gray in winter, helping them hide more easily in the snow.
© SCOTLAND: The Big Picture/Minden Pictures