Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community

Management of wildlife is often a contentious issue in which stakeholders are increasingly influential. The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is a non-native, invasive species, now established in Northern Ireland. It impacts the endemic Irish hare (L. timidus hibernicus), a priority species of conserv...

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Published in:Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy
Main Authors: Caravaggi, Anthony, Montgomery, William, Reid, Neil
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/management-and-control-of-invasive-brown-hares-lepus-europaeus-contrasting-attitudes-of-selected-environmental-stakeholders-and-the-wider-rural-community(48964382-9ab4-490f-9158-695e1fc80551).html
https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08
https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/134350509/Caravaggi_Management_and_control_manuscript_final.pdf
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spelling ftqueensubelpubl:oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:publications/48964382-9ab4-490f-9158-695e1fc80551 2023-05-15T17:07:49+02:00 Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community Caravaggi, Anthony Montgomery, William Reid, Neil 2017-08-30 application/pdf https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/management-and-control-of-invasive-brown-hares-lepus-europaeus-contrasting-attitudes-of-selected-environmental-stakeholders-and-the-wider-rural-community(48964382-9ab4-490f-9158-695e1fc80551).html https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08 https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/134350509/Caravaggi_Management_and_control_manuscript_final.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Caravaggi , A , Montgomery , W & Reid , N 2017 , ' Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community ' , Biology and Environment-Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy , vol. 117B , no. 2 . https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08 Conservation hares Lepus timidus public opinions questionnaire survey article 2017 ftqueensubelpubl https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08 2022-02-09T22:24:06Z Management of wildlife is often a contentious issue in which stakeholders are increasingly influential. The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is a non-native, invasive species, now established in Northern Ireland. It impacts the endemic Irish hare (L. timidus hibernicus), a priority species of conservation concern, via competition and hybridisation to the extent that control of European hares is a priority. We conducted a questionnaire survey among members of Countryside Alliance Ireland [CAI] - an organisation that promotes rural interests, including field sports - and non-members, to ascertain the contrasting attitudes to the lethal control of European hares in Northern Ireland; a total of 342 (20%) questionnaires were returned. We hypothesised that: (i) CAI members would exhibit greater support for intervention than non-members; and (ii) respondents in the core invasive range will differ in their outlook when compared to respondents from other zones. CAI members were more likely to be aware of the presence of the non-native species and to support lethal management. Both groups considered the threat posed to biodiversity by the European hare to be important. We conclude that members of rural interest groups may be important advocates of intervention, whilst non-members of field sports organisations may be more reluctant to support any proposed management plan involving lethal control. Active engagement to develop a mutual understanding, prior to developing management options, is crucial in ensuring long-term success. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lepus timidus Queen's University Belfast Research Portal Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 117B 2 53
institution Open Polar
collection Queen's University Belfast Research Portal
op_collection_id ftqueensubelpubl
language English
topic Conservation
hares
Lepus timidus
public opinions
questionnaire survey
spellingShingle Conservation
hares
Lepus timidus
public opinions
questionnaire survey
Caravaggi, Anthony
Montgomery, William
Reid, Neil
Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
topic_facet Conservation
hares
Lepus timidus
public opinions
questionnaire survey
description Management of wildlife is often a contentious issue in which stakeholders are increasingly influential. The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is a non-native, invasive species, now established in Northern Ireland. It impacts the endemic Irish hare (L. timidus hibernicus), a priority species of conservation concern, via competition and hybridisation to the extent that control of European hares is a priority. We conducted a questionnaire survey among members of Countryside Alliance Ireland [CAI] - an organisation that promotes rural interests, including field sports - and non-members, to ascertain the contrasting attitudes to the lethal control of European hares in Northern Ireland; a total of 342 (20%) questionnaires were returned. We hypothesised that: (i) CAI members would exhibit greater support for intervention than non-members; and (ii) respondents in the core invasive range will differ in their outlook when compared to respondents from other zones. CAI members were more likely to be aware of the presence of the non-native species and to support lethal management. Both groups considered the threat posed to biodiversity by the European hare to be important. We conclude that members of rural interest groups may be important advocates of intervention, whilst non-members of field sports organisations may be more reluctant to support any proposed management plan involving lethal control. Active engagement to develop a mutual understanding, prior to developing management options, is crucial in ensuring long-term success.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Caravaggi, Anthony
Montgomery, William
Reid, Neil
author_facet Caravaggi, Anthony
Montgomery, William
Reid, Neil
author_sort Caravaggi, Anthony
title Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
title_short Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
title_full Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
title_fullStr Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
title_full_unstemmed Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
title_sort management and control of invasive brown hares (lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community
publishDate 2017
url https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/management-and-control-of-invasive-brown-hares-lepus-europaeus-contrasting-attitudes-of-selected-environmental-stakeholders-and-the-wider-rural-community(48964382-9ab4-490f-9158-695e1fc80551).html
https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08
https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/134350509/Caravaggi_Management_and_control_manuscript_final.pdf
genre Lepus timidus
genre_facet Lepus timidus
op_source Caravaggi , A , Montgomery , W & Reid , N 2017 , ' Management and control of invasive brown hares (Lepus europaeus): contrasting attitudes of selected environmental stakeholders and the wider rural community ' , Biology and Environment-Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy , vol. 117B , no. 2 . https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08
op_rights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3318/BIOE.2017.08
container_title Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy
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