By Sue Evans, Policy Director
Within the consultation, which closes on Monday (19th), the Welsh Government say that concerns have been raised for many years about the complexity of the law in the United Kingdom caused, in part by the sheer volume of primary, secondary and quasi-legislation.
Within the context of a closed season for hares they say that “Many organisations and individuals already follow voluntary guidance which advises against shooting hare during their breeding season.”
Therefore, we question is there a need for further legislation on hares?
As this is an evidence led consultation, what evidence is there that the current voluntary guidance is not being followed and that there is a problem in Wales?
Would this be producing more legislation when not required at a time when funding is tight is this the best way to spend public money?
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) serves as the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) champion for the brown hare. Appointed as the BAP champion/joint lead partner for the brown hare starting in 1998 (alongside the Mammal Society) to monitor and support population recovery. The conservation and successful breeding of the brown hare is based on the provision of suitable habitat and predation management (as proven by GWCT research). Where this occurs, hare numbers can reach levels that cause crop damage. We demonstrated this at Loddington (see Gamekeeping and brown hare numbers). Where conditions are good, the hare population can expand rapidly, with does capable of producing double figure numbers of offspring in a season. Where there are large numbers of hares, their control is sustainable given that this usually results in nothing more than a temporary drop in numbers. Where hare numbers are low, this is likely because the habitat is poor and predation unmanaged. It is these things which determine the hare population. Please find attached or follow this link to A-future-for-brown-hares.pdf
The greatest threat to hares in Wales is hare coursing which is an illegal activity and comes with the threat of violence from some very scary people involved in organised crime who threaten bodily harm to farming families.
Rather than investing time and funds into this legislation more hares could be protected by reviewing the legislation around hare coursing with more serious penalties and increased policing resource.