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The colour change in the coat of mountain hares happens in October-November, but may because of certain factors drag on until later. From our viewpoint quite irrational with a "black” ground, but  the legs and belly go white first, only then the back and neck. The tips of the ears remain black even in winter. The first signal for change is probably the light – day is short, winter coming, and this signal is the same every year. The fall in air temperature would be the next sign.
The change doesn’t happen at the same time for all: this year’s young from the first litter that were born in April – May, and nearly have the measures of fully-grown hares, have already started their moulting, and after them the later litters, and the fully grown mountain hares. A complete winter coat has about half as much more hairs than the summer coat, and the hairs are up to a centimetre longer – a very energy-using process.
The mountain hare is a long-time native in Estonia, who together with the elk managed to settle here immediately after the Ice Age, i e more than ten thousand years ago, thanks to availability of suitable food.
About the feeding habits of the mountain hare we will write when proper winter arrives.