WILDLIFE DIARY: Hare population in decline
EVERY month Mike Russell, Sussex Wildlife Trust people and wildlife manager, tells Herald readers about the widlife surrounding them.
This month he writes about the declining hare population.
"Hare-brained", "as mad as a March hare" – phrases we are all familiar with.
Even if you have never actually seen a brown hare, the behaviour traits of this rather endearing mammal have been passed down the generations through stories and books, and such terminology is now firmly established in our language.
One of the most famous references to their madness was in Alice in Wonderland, and this stems from their ability to run very fast in a haphazard way, as well as engaging in apparent boxing matches in early spring.
Native
It is thought that brown hares were, like rabbits, introduced into the UK, though no one is actually sure who brought them in as there appears to be a disagreement as to whether they were here before Roman times or not.
Here in the south, it is the only hare you will see, but if you go to the highlands of Scotland, you may see the truly native and smaller mountain hare, which sports a fine white coat in winter.
We are now much more familiar with rabbits and are quite surprised when seeing a hare, struck by its much bigger size and long, powerful back legs, which it uses to great effect in reaching speeds approaching 45mph.
Other distinguishing features are long ears, with black tips at the end, and large, staring, yellow eyes.
Speed
Hares need their amazing speed to run away from predators, and the ability to zig-zag at speed helped them when they had to escape from dogs as the "sport" of hare coursing grew in popularity.
Males use their speed to chase off rivals in the breeding season, although the boxing sometimes observed at this time is not two males applying the Queensberry Rules to vie for the attention of a potential mate, but a female fending off the attentions of an over-amorous male.
Breeding takes place between March and September and up to four litters of young – usually two to four leverets each time – are produced.
Unlike their cousins the rabbits, they do not live underground, but make a shallow depression in the ground known as a form, in which they give birth.
Farming
Also, unlike rabbits, they tend to have a solitary existence, although, occasionally, they form small groups when feeding on tender grass shoots or cereal crops, which inevitably brings them into conflict with farmers.
This conflict with farmers and modern farming in general has led to a substantial decline in their population over the last 50 years.
Changes in crop production such as oil-seed rape, the sowing of winter crops in autumn, the ploughing-up of grassland and removal of hedgerows, along with the increased application of pesticides, have all contributed to this decline, as has the growth in the fox population.
Foxes will eat the young leverets if they find them.
Hunting
The hunting of hares with hounds, known as coursing, was made illegal under the Hunting Act 2004, but the practice is still quite widespread, despite being unlawful.
Hares can still be seen around the local area, particularly up on the Downs, but the competing and increasing use of the Downs for farming and recreation continues to put a squeeze on their numbers.
Efforts are being made now to work with landowners to try to manage land to benefit hares and try to do something to halt their decline.
The Sussex Wildlife Trust is running a day course, The Life and Times of the Brown Hare, on Thursday, September 17, at the Downs Barn, Sompting.
For further information, please ring 01273 497561 or visit our website www.sussexwt.org.uk
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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Sunny spells
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