Wildlife

Wild Mountain Hare Scotland Welfare and Management

Mountain hares face intensive management on grouse moors, with culling practices raising significant welfare concerns.

Key Facts

Mountain hare populations on Scottish grouse moors have been reduced by up to 99% through culling
Culling aims to reduce tick loads that infect red grouse but ecological evidence is contested
Mountain hares are a native species and a priority species for conservation under the UK BAP
Shooting mortality may be incompletely humanely achieved given the difficulty of shots in mountain terrain
Scottish Natural Heritage recommends against mass culls and for population monitoring instead

Welfare Considerations

Mass culling of mountain hares involves significant welfare harm through shooting injuries, including wounding rates. The welfare cost must be evaluated against unproven population-level conservation benefits for grouse. Evidence-based, targeted management that demonstrates effectiveness while minimising suffering is the appropriate standard.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for stronger mountain hare protection in Scottish legislation
Report concerns about mountain hare culling to Scottish Natural Heritage
Advocate for evidence-based management standards that minimise mountain hare welfare harm
Support research into tick management alternatives that do not require hare culling