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| Photo: :Laurie Campbell |
How many hares on the farm?Many hares pass unnoticed and on farms where they are present many farmers may not realise just how many they have. Hares are nocturnal for most of the autumn and winter so most that are seen will have been disturbed.
The best way to assess numbers is by spotlight count. At night hares are active and their eye-shine in a spotlight beam makes them visible. After dark in winter and using a pair of binoculars (7x50) aligned with the spotlight, each field is scanned for hares. Knowing the area that can be seen with the spotlight in each field it is straightforward to calculate the number of hares on the farm. Anything above 40 hares per 100 hectares (250 acres) is a high density. |
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| Brown hare habitat in Britain. The yellow area is optimal habitat with a high proportion of arable farmland. Green is less optimal ground where livestock rearing outweighs arable farming in importance. Grey areas are unsuited to brown hares for a variety of reasons. (From CEH Land Cover and OS Geographic reference maps). |
The brown hare was one of the first animals to be considered in the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) programme. It was chosen, not because it was rare, endangered or under any kind of threat, but because it was once very common, was widespread and had declined significantly during the post-War period. It has been estimated that numbers have dropped by about 75% since the War, a pattern that is also typical of many other European countries. A recent survey suggested that wintering numbers in Britain may be around 800,0007. The BAP plan proposed that measures should be taken to improve numbers so that by 2010 our countryside should support at least two million animals in winter.
An analysis using the map above shows that there is plenty of suitable farmland for hares. However, farm mechanisation and modern crop husbandry has reduced hare breeding success and increased the mortality of leverets and adults alike.
Although the EU Common Agricultural Policy needs reform to improve conditions for wildlife, there are measures that farmers can take which will increase hare survival. Many of these measures are grant-aided through the Agri-environment Schemes.
