Second, the ears serve to dissipate body heat and keep the hare cool, especially during the warmer months of the year. This is because they won’t have the protection of a larger group. They can splint frames in a pinch, replace a broken rivet, secure a tie or lace, and repair winter clothing as well. While the cleating and traction improvements to modern snowshoes have greatly enhanced snowshoers' climbing abilities, on very steep slopes it is still beneficial to make "kick steps," kicking the toes of the shoes into the snow to create a kind of snow stairs for the next traveler to use. But after spreading out of control, the species is now considered a pest in many parts of the world, as it consumes crops and outcompetes local species. To make them easier to use in mountaineering, the Praters developed a hinged binding and added cleats to the bottom of the shoe. A carrier of some type is also advisable, particularly if the trip will not take place entirely on snowshoes. If going into deep snow, snowshoers will often take along gaiters to keep snow from getting into their boots from above. The rawhide webbing of traditional snowshoes, as noted above, needs regular waterproofing. The hare is a nocturnal animal that spends the night awake and the day sleeping. Other common predators include bobcats, hawks, eagles, snowy owls, wolves, coyotes, bears, and even weasels. Unlike rabbits, they tend to live exclusively above ground. Despite their great diversity in form, snowshoes were, in fact, one of the few cultural elements common to all tribes that lived where the winters were snowy, in particular, the Northern regions. The hare is not a single species, but rather an entire genus known as Lepus (which is the Latin name for the hare). It started in the 1950s when the Vermont-based Tubbs company created the Green Mountain Bearpaw, which combined the shortness of that style with an even narrower width than had previously been used (Pospisil 1979). However, contrary to popular perception, the Inuit did not use their snowshoes much since they did most of their foot travel in winter over sea ice or on the tundra, where snow does not pile up deeply. Hares are the natural prey of many large cats, birds, and reptiles around the world. Another difference is that with their longer muscle fibers, hares are better suited for long-distance running. If they need to seek out safety, then they will usually hide in grasses or shrubs. The claws occasionally register, and on hard ground this may be the only sign of a passing rabbit or hare. The heel pads of both fore and hind feet have three lobes on the posterior margin which are useful in separating the tracks of a cougar from those of other felids, such as the lynx. These animals are also a common motif in literature and art, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Compared to crampons, snowshoes give relatively little grip on ice. 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