Mountain hares are native to Britain but face pressure from driven grouse management and climate-related habitat shifts. Their welfare deserves attention in upland conservation debates.
Mountain hares culled on grouse moors are typically shot, but mass culls using multiple guns across large areas increase the risk of non-lethal wounding and prolonged suffering. Climate change is exposing white-coated mountain hares to increased predation risk on snow-free ground — an indirect welfare harm from environmental disruption. Their designation as a priority species has not yet translated into comprehensive protection from shooting on private estates.