Hunched in their snow burrows, Britain's mountain hares brave some of the harshest conditions our island can throw at them. And for the past three years, photographer Andy Howard has shared the freezing temperatures, blizzards and snow storms with them, often lying in the snow for hours to capture incredible images of the typically timid animals. The 43-year-old, who also acts as a mountain guide, says the hares are one of Britain's truly native creatures, having been here since the last ice age. Scroll down for video A British mountain hare hunches in the snow to try and keep out the cold during freezing conditions in the Scottish Highlands
@highlight
Photographer Andy Howard has spent three years following the hares
@highlight
He will often lie for hours in the snow to capture the incredible images
@highlight
It is part of project with the mountain hares of the Cairngorms, Scotland
@highlight
The native species have been in Britain since the last ice age
Andy added: 'In winter they are almost completely white and through the spring they moult, become a mottled brown and white colour and in summer they are brown a grey twinge, the grey colour can look like a shade of blue, in fact in the @placeholder they are often referred to as blue hares.