LeptoNE

Comparative study of hare populations according to media and protection status.

Populations of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) have declined sharply throughout Switzerland since the 1960s. Over the past decade, the population appears to have stabilized, but at a very low density level. Many causes are suggested for this decline and for the lack of population recovery, despite efforts to improve habitat and a reduction, or a ban, on hunting. As a result, we speculate that sub-optimal sectors could become important reservoirs in a context where intensive agriculture has a significant impact on the survival of hare populations. We propose to compare, on a reduced spatial scale, the differences in population dynamics between 3 types of ecosystems on the one hand and between 2 agricultural sectors with different status on the other.