9. Ecology and management of BROWN HARE: distribution, ecological characteristics, and economic/hunting importance.

Question 1

European hare

Answer 1

Lepus europaeus

Question 2

Distribution and Introduced

Answer 2

D: Countrywide, found mainly in plain and agricultural landscapes, native to Europe and some parts of Asia.

I: Around the world

Question 3

Status

Answer 3

Decreasing in Europe

Question 4

Habitat

Answer 4

Highly adaptable species
agricultural fields, diverse mosaic biotopes, small size fields, bushes for cover, grasslands, pastures, narrow forests, ploughing in winter

Question 5

Description

Answer 5

brownish-yellowish fur, white belly
48-63 cm, 3-4 kg

Question 6

Diet

Answer 6

deciduous plants, spring cereals, crop plants, leguminous plants. Alfalfas, weeds, more than 200 plants

Question 7

Reproduction

Answer 7

they are highly reproductive.
during the mating season (January-September) can be found in groups (males around females, chasing them) *Males fight with each other for the females („boxing”)
 Breeding season between January and September, giving birth between February and September.
 2-4 litters a year per female: depending on population density
 4-12 new-borns per year: they are born blind, have to be hidden. There is a high mortality due to the use of agricultural machines
 Milking period lasts 30-60 days

Question 8

Behaviour

Answer 8

They live in family groups and disperse if the habitat is not suitable.
 Very sensitive to climate: harsh winter, too much precipitation, flood, and drought can lead to high mortality among new-borns.
 Also sensitive to habitat change: lack of food and cover, habitat damages

Question 9

Hunting

Answer 9

They are usually hunted or captured for live export. Hunting season from October to January.
 High source of income and popular with domestic hunters
 Sold as pets or venison
 Sold live for repopulation
- Certain percentage of captured animals can’t be exported due to disease, injuries
- Late live captures can damage the breeding stock
- Foreign hunters pay almost as much as exporters
Great hunting demand (both foreign and domestic)
Game species, the hunting bag was 117 732 ind. in 2014, from which 84 477 were shot and 33 255 were live captured
Hunting season in Hungary: 01 October - 31 December

Question 10

Management

Answer 10

There is insufficient control of predators, lack of habitat development, lack of reliable data and bad methods/amount of harvest.
Management characteristics: (Habitat development)
 Increase in agriculture intensity has been damaging/affecting habitat
 Non-flexible strategies: environment changes are often neglected
Harvest should be based on stable breeding stock and protection of offspring. Predator control should be constant.

The causes of the decline: intensification of the agriculture (large monocultures → lower diversity of food types; no field margins → fewer hiding and breeding places; pesticides use → poisoning; too fast machines → killing during harvesting), predators, diseases