Hopping Ahead of Climate Change ― Snowshoe Hares, Science, and Survival

A snowshoe hare nibbles on spruce and fir buds high in a Rocky Mountain forest. The hare isn’t overly worried about predators because its white fur blends in perfectly with snow. There’s only one problem. This year, there isn’t any snow. As the hare forages, a great horned owl notices. The result? A disaster for the hare—one that is happening more and more frequently across its range.Hopping Ahead of Climate Change describes one of the most intriguing and important studies of our time—the work of biologist Scott Mills, who is trying to answer the critical question: Can animals that change their coat colors with the seasons survive shorter winters caused by climate change? Working with an international team of colleagues and students, Professor Mills has been conducting a range of studies that explore the impacts of a hotter world on animals. In Hopping Ahead of Climate Change, readers learn how Professor Mills studies snowshoe hares, which questions he seeks to answer, and most importantly, what he has discovered. The results are both fascinating and surprising—and have vital implications for the future of our planet.

Author Bio: Sneed B. Collard III graduated with honors in marine biology from U.C. Berkeley, and has gone on to write more than 75 acclaimed books for young people. His books are known for their high interest and strong, authoritative voice, and have broken new ground both in their style and subject matter. In 2006, Sneed was honored with the Washington Post-Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award for his body of work. Sneed’s most recent science book, Fire Birds—Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests, was a Junior Library Guild selection and named an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council.