OUR SOUTH WEST Home Page Millennium Archive Home Page
Species |
Brown hare - Lepus europaeus,
mammal |
| Habitat |
ARABLE FARMLAND, CALCAREOUS
GRASSLAND, UNIMPROVED NEUTRAL GRASSLAND |
| Background
and status |
The brown hare was probably
introduced to Britain by the Romans as a source of food. It is still common
across much of our farming landscape though it is now rare in the pastoral
areas of the west. It appears to have undergone a substantial decline in
numbers since the early 1960s with its population in the 1990s varying between
817,000 and 1,250,000 individuals. This decline is mirrored in the rest
of Europe. |
| Main
Threats |
Changes in farming:
loss of mixed farming in favour of specialisation
increased mechanisation
change from growing hay to growing silage
changes in crop rotations - lack of fresh growth
at all times of the year
loss of undersown stubbles.
stubble burning
|
| Conservation
and targets |
The brown hare will benefit from less intensive
farming methods encouraged in agri-environment schemes such as Countryside
Stewardship.
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