The brown hare serving as a model for the Easter bunny gets a lot of attention these days. But even away from Easter, we should not ignore the animal with the spoon ears, because its stocks have broken down sharply in many places since the 1960s. However, the results of a new count of the German Hunting Association now give hope.
As early as the 17th century, the field hare in Germany was considered an Easter egg bearer. Among other things, this is due to the fact that rabbits build a nest in the high grass for their young to protect them from predators. It was apparently obvious that the brown hare is also responsible for the Easter nests of human children and leaves all kinds of gifts for the little ones.
However, it is questionable whether someone would still come up with the idea of appointing the field to the Easter bunny- especially because the once numerous animals have become an increasingly rare sight, as existing counts show. The reason: monocultures, settlements and streets have drastically shrinked the habit of the field hare since the 1960s. Another danger is severe agricultural machines such as combine harvesters.
As many brown hare like not for a long time
A new inventory of the German Hunting Association (DJV) now gives hope. In around 400 reference areas, hunters counted an average of 19 rabbits per square kilometer field and meadow in the spring of 2024. In the northwestern German lowlands, there were even 28 framework rabbits per square kilometer. However, the populations were even greater in individual reference areas in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. In the spring of 2024, up to 241 framework rabbits per square kilometer were traveling there. Will the children get more Easter gifts in these regions?
The Germany -wide average of 19 animals per square kilometer has been the highest value since the beginning of annual monitoring over two decades. It was reached for the first time in 2023 and has now held for another year. The net growth rate at German brown harees was eight percent in 2024, so the stocks, as the German Hunting Association explains. However, the growth was significantly lower compared to the previous year. According to the association, the weather could have been decisive for this: the months of May and June shaped heavily in 2024, especially in the south in 2024. Especially in the first two weeks of life, wetness is life -threatening for the offspring of the original steppe resident because it can quickly cool.
More flower strips and wasteland
The German Hunting Association demands that their living conditions must be improved in the field and meadow so that the pampers can continue to recover. In particular, more idle areas and flower strips could help the “Easter bunny” by offering it food and hiding places. And other animals would also be such a redesign. “In addition to the rabbit, many other domestic animal species benefit from such measures, including threatened meadow birds such as Kiebitz and skylark, but also bees and other insects,” says a press text of the DJV.
Source: German hunting association