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Spring and autumn habitat preferences of active European hares (Lepus europaeus) in an agricultural area with low hare density

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Abstract

The number of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) has been declining throughout much of Europe since the 1960s. Consequently, many studies have focused on analysing habitat selection of European hares in order to improve the suitability of the habitat for this species. Habitat preferences of European hares are known to be affected by hare density, but most studies have been conducted in agricultural areas where hare densities were medium to high. Finding habitat preferences at high densities is difficult as most available habitats are occupied. In addition, in agricultural areas, field size might influence the hares’ habitat selection because it affects the distribution and availability of certain habitat types. However, most studies relate to areas with large field sizes. In this study, we analysed the habitat preferences of European hares in spring and autumn during the activity period, in the early hours of the night, in an agricultural area with low hare density and small average field size using Chesson’s electivity index. Moreover, we focused on the question whether two different habitat classifications varying in their specificity might cause contradictory results regarding European hares’ habitat preferences. Our results show that in this agricultural area with low hare density, European hares avoided several habitat types which were preferred in other study areas with higher hare densities. Therefore, we assume that hare density has an influence on the species’ habitat selection. In contrast, the small average field size of our study area seemed not to have an effect on hare habitat preference. Furthermore, by pooling habitat types into broader groups, substantial information was lost in some categories. Hence, for some categories, e.g. grassland or agricultural crop land, more detail might be needed than for others, such as urban areas, when analysing hares’ habitat selection. In conclusion, our results imply that studies on habitat preferences have to be conducted in areas with low hare density to be able to gain knowledge on the species’ habitat requirement and hereinafter improve the suitability of the habitat for this species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the hunting societies of Wenslingen, Oltingen and Zeglingen for the cooperation and for conducting the hare spotlight counts. Furthermore, we thank the association HOPP HASE, Reinach, Switzerland and the Schweizerische Vogelwarte Sempach for organising the hare spotlight counts. The study was funded by the following foundations or organisations: Parrotia-Stiftung, Stiftung Dr. Joachim de Giacomi, Basler Stiftung für biologische Forschung, Messerli Stiftung, Carl Burger Stiftung, CIC Schweiz, CIC Deutschland, Paul Schiller Stiftung and Karl Mayer Stiftung. The study complies with the current laws of Switzerland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria

    Stéphanie C. Schai-Braun & Klaus Hackländer

  2. Hintermann & Weber AG, Ecological Consultancy, Planning and Research, Austrasse 2a, 4153, Reinach, Switzerland

    Darius Weber

Authors
  1. Stéphanie C. Schai-Braun
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  2. Darius Weber
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  3. Klaus Hackländer
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Correspondence to Stéphanie C. Schai-Braun.

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Communicated by C. Gortázar

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Schai-Braun, S.C., Weber, D. & Hackländer, K. Spring and autumn habitat preferences of active European hares (Lepus europaeus) in an agricultural area with low hare density. Eur J Wildl Res 59, 387–397 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-012-0684-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-012-0684-5

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