- Mintage Limit ONLY - 999
- Each coin in struck from 1oz of pure silver
- Coin in capsule+with Certificate of Authenticity
In the Alps, mountain hares (Lepus timidus) live at altitudes of 1,300 metres and higher, but the mountain hare population in the Alps is now under threat for various reasons. One cause is climate change. Rising temperatures are forcing the hares to migrate to higher altitudes. At the same time, the expanding winter tourism industry is an additional stress factor for these animals, although their physiological and behavioural response to tourist activity had not previously been studied. The mountain hare is a large species, though it is slightly smaller than the European hare. In summer, for all populations of mountain hares, the coat has various shades of brown. In preparation for winter most populations moult into a white pelage.