Common questions; References

This guide has been prepared with support from the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles, and with the help of Desmond Hobson. The second edition is sponsored by Biffa Waste Services Ltd, biodiversity champion of the brown hare Biodiversity Action Plan.

Biffa Waste Services Ltd
 
We acknowledge the support of English Nature in the preparation of this guide.
 
www.gct.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1112023
 
Stephen Tapper & Desmond Hobson
The Game Conservancy Trust
Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1EF
Tel: 01425 651021
Email: stapper@gct.org.uk
 
Front cover picture: Chris Knights
Design and layout: Sophia Miles/Louise Shervington
Paper Leaflet Printing: The Roman Group, Bournemouth
Website Creation: James Long
 
© The Game Conservancy Trust Limited 2002, revised 2006.
No reproduction without permission.
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THREE COMMON QUESTIONS

Q:

Why are hares not fully protected by law? A: Hares damage crops and sometimes this can be severe, especially in horticulture. Farmers need the right to control hare numbers in these circumstances.
Q:

Can I get financial help to conserve hares? A: Certainly - the new arable options available within the Countryside Stewardship Scheme were developed by Defra in association with the RSPB, English Nature and The Game Conservancy Trust to help a range of farmland species including the brown hare.

Q:

Is re-stocking a good idea? Hares could be taken from farms where they are common and released onto areas where there are few or where they are absent. A: This can be done, but in most cases it is not a good idea. Hares are difficult to capture and handle and many don't survive after release. If there are already some hares present, however few, it is always better to improve their chances of survival and breeding rather than rely on imported animals. Only where hares are entirely absent should re-stocking be considered and, even then, one must be confident that habitat and other environmental conditions are suitable for them.

Getting help

There is a brown hare conservation officer who can offer free advice to conservation bodies and farmers, on brown hare ecology and how best to conserve them.

Contact: Bernadette Higgins, Brown Hare Project Officer, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, tel: 01676 525880 or email: bernie.higgins@wkwt.org.uk

References

  1. Yalden, DW (1991) History of the Fauna. In: The Handbook of British Mammals . Eds: GB Corbet & S Harris. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
  2. Tapper, SC & Barnes, RFW (1986) The influence of farming practice on the ecology of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Journal of Applied Ecology , 23 , 39-52.
  3. Hewson, R (1964) Reproduction in the brown hare and mountain hare in north-east Scotland. The Scottish Naturalist , 71 , 81-89.
  4. Holley, AJF (1992) Studies on the biology of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) with particular reference to behaviour. PhD Thesis, University of Durham.
  5. Tapper, SC (1992) Game Heritage . The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, Hampshire.
  6. Reynolds, JC & Tapper, SC (1995) Predation by foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) on brown hares (Lepus europeaus). Wildlife Biology , 1 , 145-158.
  7. Hutchings MRW & Harris, S (1996) Current status of the brown hare in Britain . Report of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough.
  8. Stoate, C & Tapper, SC (1993) The impact of three hunting methods on brown hare ( Lepus europeaus ) populations in Britain. Gibier Faune Sauvage , 10 , 229-240.
 

Game Conservancy Limited's Advisory Service will give professional advice on all aspects of game management including brown hares.

For more information contact: 01425 651013
 
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