MARCH SPECIES OF THE MONTH: BROWN HARE (Lepus europaeus)

Brown hares look similar to rabbits, but they are larger, with longer legs, and longer black-tipped ears. They are most commonly found in farmland habitat.

 Hares are generally nocturnal, spending the night grazing on grass shoots and agricultural crops and during the day resting in shallow holes, known as ‘forms’.

Hares are also Britain’s fastest land mammal reaching speeds of up to 45mph!

 The hare breeding season is between February and September, and it is during the courtship period that the well known ‘Mad March Hare’ boxing behaviour occurs. This is actually when a female hares “boxes” off the unwanted attention of male hares.

 Recent figures show that hare populations have decreased by up to 80% over the past 100 years. It is thought that agricultural intensification as well as shooting, poaching, and the increase in fox populations are responsible for this decline. Hares have minimal legal protection and can be hunted throughout the whole year. 

Species Brown Hare      

 Date        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31         Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec                            2007 2008 2006                                             

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