Populations of the iconic mammals on moorland managed for shooting have collapsed
The number of mountain hares living on grouse estates has crashed dramatically.
A new scientific study has shown that populations of the iconic mammals living on moorland managed for shooting, and adjacent areas, have collapsed to less than one per cent of their initial levels.
Research from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and RSPB Scotland shows that in an area of the eastern Highlands there was a long-term gradual decline of almost 5% every year from 1954 to 1999, reflecting mainly changes in land use and in line with a wider decline.
However, from 1999 to 2017 the scale of the moorland declines increased dramatically to over 30% every year, leading to counts in 2017 of less than one per cent of original levels in 1954.
These were in areas of intensive grouse moor management.
Here, the unregulated practice of hare culling as a form of disease control, ostensibly to benefit red grouse, has become part of the management of many estates since the 1990s.
Conservationists have questioned whether there is any evidence that it is effective.
Dr Adam Watson, of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, who was lead author of the work, said: "Having counted mountain hares across the moors and high tops of the eastern Highlands since 1943, I find the decline in numbers of these beautiful animals both compelling and of great concern.
"We need the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage to take action to help these iconic mammals of the hill - I hope they will listen to the voice of scientific research"
The Scottish Moorland Group, a front for Scottish Land & Estates, which represents the interests of landowners and shooting interests, questioned the research and said it springs from “political campaigning” by RSPB Scotland.
He said: “This research is very much out of kilter with other respected research on mountain hares. As recently as October 2017 Scottish Natural Heritage reported to the Scottish Parliament that evidence of a national decline in mountain hares since the mid-1990s is not conclusive.
"This latest research also flies in the face of what estate owners and land managers see every day on the ground - that hare populations are very high.
“It will, however, come as little surprise that RSPB Scotland has chosen to release this paper, continuing its political campaigning against grouse moor management, on the day that the season gets underway and it is obviously an attempt to influence the ongoing independent review of grouse shooting which includes mountain hare management."
