Hares are remarkable mammals adapted for speed and endurance, but they face threats from agricultural intensification, hunting, and climate change that compromise their welfare and survival.
Wild hares are particularly vulnerable during the leverets stage, when young are left concealed in grass while the mother visits briefly to nurse. Agricultural operations can kill leverets en masse when fields are cut or ploughed. Adult hares experience acute stress responses during coursing events and hunting drives, with high rates of injury and death. Agricultural intensification has reduced habitat quality by removing hedgerows and creating monoculture landscapes. Conservation programs that support mixed farming, late-cutting meadows, and set-aside strips can dramatically improve hare welfare and population recovery. Banning hare coursing removes a source of acute suffering for these sentient animals.