Brown hare populations are recovering in some UK areas through agri-environment schemes and reduced persecution. Individual hare welfare is affected by agricultural management, predation, and illegal hunting.
Individual brown hares face welfare risks from agricultural machinery strikes during grass cutting, illegal coursing by dogs, and predation. Conservation management that creates refuge habitats and reduces machinery disturbance during the breeding season directly reduces individual welfare suffering. Supporting legal reform to provide closer season protection and stronger anti-coursing measures addresses the two most significant human-caused welfare threats.