SIR - We are reassured the latest paper recognises that mountain hares can thrive on heather moorland managed for driven grouse shooting, that numbers can increase quickly here, and that the long-term threat to populations is landscape-scale habitat change, coniferous tree planting, and the associated spread of generalist predators.
We agree that most mountain hare losses are at the edge of their range where heather moorland has changed to forest and farmland (Mountain hare in dramatic decline, August 22). Our analysis of bag data, however, does not suggest such a decline in numbers on grouse moors. Our counts in the past two decades found robust hare numbers close to where this paper appears to report few. In 2015 and 2017, we counted hares in their tens within a few kilometres of where this paper reported zero in those years. Assessing mountain hare numbers accurately is challenging, especially when trying to ensure consistency across half a century.
The grouse moor community must also take on the challenge of assessing hare numbers itself. A coordinated approach is required with counting and management at regional level to safeguard against risk to local populations.
Dr Adam Smith
Director Scotland Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
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