Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

The Irish hare, one of Ireland’s longest established mammals, is found on both upland and lowland habitats, including mixed farmland, coastal grasslands and lowland bogs. Although the Irish hare was historically widespread and common throughout all of Ireland it is now scarce in some areas.

Only 50 years ago numbers were high in the north of Ireland, where it was not unusual to see over 100 animals at places such as Belfast International Airport in Co Antrim. Although recent studies carried out by Queen’s University, Belfast, from 2002 to 2006, indicate a low average density of about one hare per square km, the overall population is thought to be stable. In Northern Ireland, the highest number of Irish hare was found in Co. Antrim and the lowest in Co. Londonderry during the 2006 survey.

Irish hare forage, rest and breed on a wide range of farm habitats such as grassland, arable, moorland, bogs and rough grassland. They are rarely seen during the daytime as they prefer to lie in the rough cover of rushes, bushes or hedgerows. They do not use burrows, but a form a patch of flattened vegetation, often with round fibrous droppings. When darkness falls they will often travel long distances to feed on a variety of grasses and other vegetation, the quality of which is very important to the female doe during lactation.

The first young of the year may be born as early as February. Since the 1970s, changes in farm management, such as an increase in silage making, the widespread use of chemicals, tidying up rough areas on the farm, increased disturbance from farm machinery and sowing fewer varieties of native grasses when reseeding, have contributed to continuing low numbers.

The EU requires member states under its Biodiversity Action Plans to help certain key species. Consequently a Northern Ireland Irish hare Species Action Plan was published in 2000 which aims to double the present population by 2010 and maintain and increase the area and quality of suitable hare habitat.

These aims have also been extended to the Republic of Ireland where farmers, with the support of a number of Government Departments will have a role to play in managing the farmed countryside especially through agri-environment schemes.

Voluntary agri-environment schemes, such as the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Scheme and Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) can make an important contribution to maintaining and enhancing suitable hare habitat. Over 13,000 farms in Northern Ireland, are participating in agri-environment schemes.

Habitats used by the hare, which are under agri-environment agreement cannot be ploughed or reseeded. These include coastal grassland, upland moors, flower-rich meadows and unimproved or rushy pasture. Plants that the hare favours such as heather, sedges, bilberry, plantain and dandelions, therefore remain in good supply.

However all farmers can make a contribution to hare conservation by cutting rushes from mid-July to mid-March only. Delaying cutting rushes until this time gives the young hares (called leverets) a chance to thrive. Retaining a mosaic of rushes within the field by cutting say, half each year, or leaving rushy corners will provide cover for the hare.

Good hedgerow management is also important. Try to trim hedges into an A-shape so that the hedgerow bottom becomes wide and keep fertiliser and slurry well out from the bottom of hedgerows. These simple steps will ensure that the hare has an area to lie in during the day and the hedgerow wild flowers, a source of hare food, get a chance to flourish.

It is good to know that all farmers can do something to encourage the Irish hare. Hopefully in years to come their numbers will increase and that this once common, but always mysterious, mammal will be widely seen in our countryside.