Reproductive performance
A study carried out in collaboration with Valter Trocchi of the Federcaccia Studies and Research Office has analysed the reproductive performance of the European hare in different areas of the Italian Peninsula, revealing significant spatial and temporal variations also important for management. The research examined four hunting territories: two in Basilicata (hilly territory of Matera and mountain municipalities of Potenza) and two in Emilia-Romagna (Bologna and Ferrara plains). The results show that the fertility of the hare, assessed by examining the uterine scars of animals killed during the hunting season, is better in the flat and hilly areas, compared to the mountainous ones (above 600 m altitude).
A natural decline
In particular, hilly and plain areas recorded the highest fertility rates (about 10-11 births/hare, compared to about 6 births/hare in the mountains) and the period of greatest concentration of reproductive activity is from March to May, followed by a natural decline in the summer months and a tail in August-September. The study also highlighted a positive correlation between the Kerner climate index and the number of scars per pregnancy, suggesting that higher levels of climatic “oceanicness” (an oceanic climate is characterized by milder temperatures and less seasonal variation than a continental climate, the Kerner index has higher values for a more oceanic climate and lower values for a more continental climate) could be associated with a moderate increase in fertility.
The factors that affect
The plasticity of the reproductive cycle of the European hare is confirmed, which is able to adapt to different environmental conditions, but is nevertheless influenced by factors such as photoperiod, latitude, altitude and food availability. The low reproductive performance in the mountainous territory of Potenza is attributed to factors such as habitat quality and overgrazing, the prevalent cultivation of autumn-winter cereals (harvested during the reproductive peak) and a shorter period of climatic optimum for the birth and survival of leverets. The results of the study suggest the need to adopt differentiated conservation strategies depending on the territories to improve the reproductive success of hare populations, considering the specific environmental and demographic conditions of each territory.
Forage mowing
It is of fundamental importance to concentrate protection efforts in the periods of peak reproduction (from March to May), i.e. the months in which most of the leverets are born, to improve the dynamics of the hare populations. Suitable measures to limit losses during the first mowing of forage and early processing of ploughed land (to be carried out before March) for spring sowing are essential to contain the strong impact of agricultural mechanization on leverets. In mountain areas it is necessary to counteract the consequences of overgrazing (where present) and the abandonment of agricultural land; furthermore, it is useful to improve the habitat by sowing quality forage (e.g. legumes). In the plains it is important to "counteract" cereal monocultures and increase the refuge environments of leverets during the spring-summer period, both for better defense from predators and to escape agricultural machinery and pesticide treatments.
Safeguarding the birth rate
Ultimately, the recovery of hare populations starts from safeguarding the birth rate and survival of leverets, for this reason efforts should be concentrated especially during the peak months of reproduction. Of course, it is also necessary to have an adequate stock of breeders and for this reason it is more useful to focus on areas with the highest fertility potential. Future research should also consider the effects of genetic diversity, parasitism, reproductive pathologies and climate change on the fertility of hares (source: Federcaccia).
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