Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing
Abstract Hare coursing is a widespread but controversial activity. In an attempt to reduce hare mortality and mitigate the activity's impact on hare welfare, the Irish Coursing Club introduced measures including the compulsory muzzling of dogs in 1993. However, the efficacy of these measures re...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0962728600027366 2023-07-02T03:32:53+02:00 Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing Reid, N McDonald, RA Montgomery, WI 2007 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0962728600027366 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0962728600027366 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Animal Welfare volume 16, issue 4, page 427-434 ISSN 0962-7286 2054-1538 General Veterinary General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Animal Science and Zoology journal-article 2007 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0962728600027366 2023-06-15T21:47:50Z Abstract Hare coursing is a widespread but controversial activity. In an attempt to reduce hare mortality and mitigate the activity's impact on hare welfare, the Irish Coursing Club introduced measures including the compulsory muzzling of dogs in 1993. However, the efficacy of these measures remained the subject of heated debate. Official records, corroborated by independent video evidence, were used to assess the fate of individual Irish hares (Lepus timidus hibernicus) during coursing events from 1988-2004. Muzzling dogs significantly reduced levels of hare mortality. In courses using unmuzzled dogs from 1988/89-1992/93 mean hare mortality was 15.8%, compared to 4.1% in courses using muzzled dogs from 1993/94-2003/04. Further reductions in mortality could not be accounted for by muzzling dogs, supporting the efficacy of other factors such as improved hare husbandry. The duration of the head start given to the hare prior to the release of the dogs significantly affected the outcome of the course. Hares that were killed had head starts of greater duration than those that were chased but survived, suggesting the former may have been slower. The selection of hares by assessment of their running ability may provide means to reduce hare mortality during courses further. Our findings support the efficacy of measures taken to mitigate the impact of coursing on individual hares. However, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of removing hares from the source population and of returning coursed hares to the wild before the wider impact of coursing on wild hare populations can be determined. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lepus timidus Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) Animal Welfare 16 4 427 434 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) |
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language |
English |
topic |
General Veterinary General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Animal Science and Zoology |
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General Veterinary General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Animal Science and Zoology Reid, N McDonald, RA Montgomery, WI Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
topic_facet |
General Veterinary General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Animal Science and Zoology |
description |
Abstract Hare coursing is a widespread but controversial activity. In an attempt to reduce hare mortality and mitigate the activity's impact on hare welfare, the Irish Coursing Club introduced measures including the compulsory muzzling of dogs in 1993. However, the efficacy of these measures remained the subject of heated debate. Official records, corroborated by independent video evidence, were used to assess the fate of individual Irish hares (Lepus timidus hibernicus) during coursing events from 1988-2004. Muzzling dogs significantly reduced levels of hare mortality. In courses using unmuzzled dogs from 1988/89-1992/93 mean hare mortality was 15.8%, compared to 4.1% in courses using muzzled dogs from 1993/94-2003/04. Further reductions in mortality could not be accounted for by muzzling dogs, supporting the efficacy of other factors such as improved hare husbandry. The duration of the head start given to the hare prior to the release of the dogs significantly affected the outcome of the course. Hares that were killed had head starts of greater duration than those that were chased but survived, suggesting the former may have been slower. The selection of hares by assessment of their running ability may provide means to reduce hare mortality during courses further. Our findings support the efficacy of measures taken to mitigate the impact of coursing on individual hares. However, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of removing hares from the source population and of returning coursed hares to the wild before the wider impact of coursing on wild hare populations can be determined. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Reid, N McDonald, RA Montgomery, WI |
author_facet |
Reid, N McDonald, RA Montgomery, WI |
author_sort |
Reid, N |
title |
Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
title_short |
Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
title_full |
Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
title_fullStr |
Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
title_full_unstemmed |
Factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
title_sort |
factors associated with hare mortality during coursing |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0962728600027366 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0962728600027366 |
genre |
Lepus timidus |
genre_facet |
Lepus timidus |
op_source |
Animal Welfare volume 16, issue 4, page 427-434 ISSN 0962-7286 2054-1538 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0962728600027366 |
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Animal Welfare |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
427 |
op_container_end_page |
434 |
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1770272588555091968 |