Wild Brown Hare Habitat Management and Conservation

Brown hares are iconic farmland animals that have declined dramatically with agricultural intensification. Habitat management that provides adequate cover and food throughout the year is essential for population recovery.

Key Facts

UK brown hare populations declined by over 80% between 1960 and the 1990s; numbers have partially recovered but remain well below historic levels
Hares are entirely dependent on agricultural habitats, unlike rabbits which can use woodland and hedgerow habitats
Spring cultivations that destroy grass leys and winter cereals remove cover at the critical time when does are rearing leverets
Hares use a mosaic of habitats seasonally: spring cereal fields for feeding, grass leys for cover, and set-aside or rough ground for resting
Field margin grass strips and agri-environment scheme options have shown clear benefits for hare populations on participating farms
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's 'Hare Initiative' provides specific management guidance for landowners

Welfare Considerations

Brown hare welfare is affected by the quality and continuity of farmland habitat throughout the annual cycle. Unlike rabbits, hares do not burrow and rely entirely on surface vegetation for shelter, resting (forms), and predator evasion. Monoculture cropping landscapes with minimal grass cover or field margins provide few suitable resting sites and concentrate hares in small remaining refuges, increasing competition and stress. Agri-environment scheme options including grass margins, pollen and nectar mixtures, and over-wintered stubbles provide year-round habitat diversity that benefits individual hare welfare by reducing competition and providing diverse cover and food. The welfare significance of population decline is substantial: the loss of millions of hares from UK farmland over 60 years represents an enormous aggregate reduction in animal lives and the experiences they contain.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes on farmland you manage or own that include hare-beneficial options
Advocate for funding and uptake of hare-friendly agri-environment options post-Brexit
Report hare sightings to the Mammal Society's National Mammal Atlas recording scheme
Drive carefully on rural roads, particularly at night when hares are most active
Support the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's hare research and management programmes
Oppose intensive arable farming practices that eliminate field margins and overwinter stubbles