Brown Hare Lepus europeus Feeding
During the late 1800s there were about four million brown hares in Britain. But recent surveys show the brown hare has declined by more than 80% during the past 100 years and the decline is ongoing. In some parts of Britain, such as the South-West, the brown hare is almost a rarity and may even be locally extinct. The reasons for this decline are not entirely clear, but intensification of agriculture has certainly been a major factor. Hares do not hibernate or store appreciable amounts of fat in their bodies and so need a constant food supply throughout the year. This can only be provided by landscapes rich in biodiversity. Hares are renowned for their phenomenal powers of acceleration to 45mph, yet have a habit of ‘sitting tight’ to the ground when a predator approaches. This makes them vulnerable to being killed by farm machinery.
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Photo credit: © Ernie Janes / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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