Wild Brown Hare Welfare: Agricultural Landscape and Coursing Pressure

The brown hare is a culturally iconic British mammal that has declined significantly due to agricultural change, while also facing welfare concerns from legal and illegal hare coursing.

Key Facts

Brown hare populations have declined by around 75% since the 1960s; the species is a UK BAP priority
The loss of mixed farming with winter stubbles and spring-sown cereals has reduced year-round food availability
Leverets (young hares) are born above ground and are highly vulnerable to agricultural machinery in spring
Hare coursing - releasing greyhounds to pursue hares - was banned in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004
Illegal hare coursing continues extensively in arable areas, causing distress to hares and economic damage to farmers
Legal 'lamping' (shooting hares at night) is permitted; welfare in practice depends on shooter competence
Hares are highly sensitive to stress and can die of cardiac failure from extreme fear responses
GWCT research has identified simple farming measures including spring-sown cereals that significantly benefit hare populations

Welfare Considerations

Brown hare welfare is threatened from multiple directions. Agricultural intensification reduces food and cover for all life stages; machinery kills leverets in spring; illegal coursing causes pursuit terror and injury; and even legal shooting has variable welfare outcomes. Hares are genuinely stress-sensitive animals - their fear response is extreme and can be fatal. The most effective welfare improvement combines farming practice change (retaining stubbles, sowing spring cereals), robust enforcement against illegal coursing, and public education about hare ecology and sensitivity. Each of these requires different actors to take responsibility.

What You Can Do

Report suspected illegal hare coursing to the police on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers
Support GWCT research on farming practices that benefit brown hares
Advocate for agri-environment scheme support for spring-sown cereals and winter stubble retention
Encourage farmers to check fields for leverets before spring machinery operations
Donate to wildlife organisations monitoring and campaigning for brown hare recovery