Behaviour, population changes and dispersal of mountain hares ( Lepus timidus) in Scotland

• Published in: Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Hewson, Raymond
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1990
• Subjects: Lepus timidus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04309.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-7998.1990.tb04309.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04309.x; https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04309.x

Mountain hares in north‐east Scotland spent the day in forms in long heather and moved downhill in the evening to feed in hill pastures. Here they grazed intensively, often in groups of 4–6 individuals. In June and July adult females, then pregnant or lactating, grazed in daylight on the pastures. Leverets spent less time grazing, and more in play and exploration. They spent the day in cover near the feeding areas, and if disturbed during grazing crouched or went into cover, while adults fled. During 1982 and 1983 males predominated in groups of grazing hares, but in 1984 both sexes were equally represented. These changes in sex ratio were reflected in the increased proportion of females trapped for marking between February and late July during 1982–86. There was a dominance order related to weight among male hares and dominant hares approached more females. There was no firm evidence of mate‐guarding. Males approached females regardless of their oestrous state and were usually rebuffed with varying degrees of intensity including striking and chasing. There were no interactions between females. Adults of both sexes chased leverets for short distances but leverets joined groups of feeding adults. Neither leverets nor first‐winter hares showed evidence of dispersal. Mountain hares avoided sheep and cattle and there were fewer hares after the arrival of sheep in May.