Brown Hare Conservation: Speed, Stress and Agricultural Threats

Brown hares have declined by 80% in the UK since the 1960s. Their welfare challenges involve intensive agriculture, coursing, and habitat fragmentation across arable landscapes.

Key Facts

Brown hares are solitary, relying on speed rather than burrows for escape
UK hare populations declined from approximately 4 million to 800,000 since the 1960s
Intensive arable farming with autumn sowing removes the mixed habitat mosaic hares require
Hare coursing was banned in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004 but continues illegally
Leverets (baby hares) are left alone in vegetation and frequently killed by mowing machines
Agri-environment scheme uptake for hare conservation habitat is critical to recovery

Welfare Considerations

Hare welfare involves both acute and chronic harm. Mowing casualties cause physical trauma to leverets that cannot escape machinery. Illegal coursing involves dogs chasing and often killing hares in extended pursuits causing extreme fear and injury. Population decline reduces the welfare resource of successful breeding and means individual hares may travel further to find suitable habitat. Agri-environment uptake for mixed habitats is the most significant welfare intervention available at scale.

What You Can Do

Support Hare Preservation Trust and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust hare research
Report suspected illegal hare coursing to the police and RSPB
Advocate for agri-environment scheme hare conservation requirements in your region