NATURE: Mayo’s hares will soon be courtin’

HAVING just discussed the recent scarcity of hares in the local environment, I was more than pleased to meet one strapping individual as I made my way along a local lane here in Mayo.
This character stepped out boldly in front of the car and sauntered ahead for several hundred yards. Downhill we went, him several seconds ahead and I careful not to get too close behind, lest he become unduly alarmed and try to double back beneath the wheel.
We passed several gateways, any one of which would provide a greater level of security than could be found in running along the asphalt. More than once the hare paused, as if considering whether or not each particular field was the one where he really wanted to be.
We covered a good quarter mile at an average speed of 20mph. There was no doubt he could move much more quickly if such a thing were needed.
It wasn’t. There is no way I would think of harming such a fine animal. Nor would the great majority of other people. Yet there is a man I know who walks nearby with a pair of sighthounds at his side, half greyhound and half something else, who would take delight in setting his dogs on this, perhaps the most timid of all our wild animals.
It is true that a good lurcher in full flow can be a joy to watch. Such grace, speed and athletic ability combine to create a compelling spectacle. If only those dogs would run as well without the prospect of inflicting terror and pain on their would-be victims.
I find it hard to understand how hare coursing remains a legal pastime in our beleaguered world.
Yes, hares have natural enemies with which they must contend. Fox and badger, marten, stoat and more will take their share. Should we add to the hare’s burden for no other purpose than mere amusement?
The mild winter has put Jack hares on notice. There are females coming into oestrous already, and the traditional March madness that befalls the males is gradually being replaced by frenetic activity earlier, in February.
It is fine, if we have the time, to stand and watch the chase. The lady is first discovered by a single male. At his approach she moves away, displaying her desire to remain unmolested time and again.
Initially content to maintain a respectable distance between herself and her suitor, she might take no more than a few short hops to one side or the other.
Undeterred and determined, he follows. A field or two are quickly traversed, with little urgency displayed by either animal. Along the way, though, a certain breeze carries her scent, sending an unspoken invitation to all other Jacks on this hill and beyond.
While one or two might be engaged romantic interests of their own, others will be quick to investigate. And while one gentlehare alone can easily be kept at a respectable distance, two or more together require a firm hand, or forepaw.
Before long the gloves are off and fur will fly.
Our unreceptive female will run far until temper gets the better of her. There comes that moment she makes the decision to confront her pursuers, and should they now get too close they get a swift box around the ear.
While hares are capable of reproducing throughout the year, the spring combination of warmer days and longer days really gets things going. It is now we onlookers can enjoy the chase.
Uphill and down they go, three, four or more strung out in a long line. They stretch and bound, more lithe than any hound, and cover the ground like a herd of wild horses in full flight.
While exciting in their own right, these animals are also a portal to the world around us, encouraging us stop a while and notice new green growth, early flowers and many more uplifting things. Those few minutes spent in quiet observation help the rest of the day pass with far less stress.
It could well be we have a treat in store, for where hare courtship occurs then babies are inevitable. A female, or Jill, will hide her young ones, which are born fully furred and with their eyes wide open, in a grassy field, tucked into a fold known as a form. There the leverets will be left, with their mother visiting just once or twice a day to let them suckle.
We might see her as she makes her way toward her offspring. Her eyes and ears are fully on the watch, her nostrils search for the merest hint of danger. She runs a little, walks a lot, then gives a leap of ten or twelve feet to where her little ones patiently wait.
Leverets, especially tiny newborns, are very beautiful. On finding one or more, each no larger than a human thumb, the natural inclination is to pick them up, to hold them close, then set them gently free. But if their mother catches human scent on that pretty, brindled fur they are doomed. She will desert them, leaving them unfed and without essential care.
The right course of action is to leave leverets strictly alone. Yes, they are endearing. They are also notoriously difficult to bottle feed. Such an endeavour is extremely time consuming and almost certainly doomed to failure.
The number of hares we see has become diminished, and it is hard to know the reasons why. Jack will do his part to make sure they are here in the future. Will we do ours?