Mountain hare lives at elevations from 700 to 3800 m, depending on biographic region and season. The mountain hare is a large species, though it is slightly smaller than the European hare. It grows to a length of , with a tail of , and a mass of , females being slightly heavier than males. In summer, for all populations of mountain hares, the coat is various shades of brown. In preparation for winter most populations moult into a white (or largely white) pelage. The tail remains completely white all year round, distinguishing the mountain hare from the European hare ("Lepus europaeus"),
Hare meat. Because of their extremely low fat content, they are a poor choice as a survival food. Hares can be prepared in the same manner as rabbits — commonly roasted or parted for breading and frying. "Hasenpfeffer" (also spelled "Hasenfeffer") is a traditional German stew made from marinated rabbit or hare. "Pfeffer" here means not only the obvious spicing with pepper and other spices, but also means a dish in which the animal's blood is used as a thickening agent for the sauce. Wine or vinegar is also a prominent ingredient, to lend a sourness to the recipe. Lagos Stifado