While walking in the Dorset countryside you may be lucky enough to spot a brown hare – introduced into Britain at least 2,000 years ago for hunting purposes.

Hares can be identified firstly by their size (they are larger than rabbits) and also by their long, black-tipped ears. Much larger, powerful hind legs enable them to run at speeds of up to 70kph (45mph) to evade predators in their very exposed habitats.

They have warm brown fur on their backs and white fur on their bellies. Their tails are black on the upper surface and white underneath.

The species mainly inhabits agricultural grasslands in temperate open habitats where cereal growing predominates. Although grass fields are preferred feeding areas in the summer when cereal fields no longer provide grazing, high densities of livestock will deter hares from some pastures.

Woods, shelterbelts and hedgerows are frequently used as resting areas during the day especially in winter.

They don’t dig burrows as rabbits do, but instead make a small depression in the ground among long grass – known as a form.

They also have mad, staring golden eyes, although the term ‘mad March hares’ is more to do with their courtship rituals.

Balancing on their hind legs they will box each other with their forelegs. It was once thought the sparring was between two males during the mating season, but the display is more likely to be a female fending off a male’s amorous advances.

‘Chasing’ hares are usually dominant males seeing off another male in a fit of jealousy.

The current number of hares in the UK is estimated to be around 800,000 – a quarter of which are in Dorset and the south west.

Sadly, the population has seen a huge decline in the last century.

After World War two, the numbers fell by 75 per cent, due to changes in agriculture.

Hedges were removed and large areas of single crops were introduced which spelled disaster for the mammal which thrived on different varieties of plant.

Mad March behaviour takes place at other times of year, but is more easily spotted when crops are low.

Hares are nocturnal creatures and usually seen early in the morning or in the evening.

In Dorset Cranborne Chase, the Purbeck Ridge, Kimmeridge and south Dorset coast path, Fleet and Blackmore Vale have been identified as hare hotspots.

A bad hare day...

  • Before Christianity in the British Isles, the hare, like the cat, was thought to be a witch in disguise. This witch could only be killed with a silver bullet.
  • Since hares are born with eyes open, they supposedly had special powers over the evil eye.
  • It is believed to be unlucky to meet either a hare or a rabbit – a rabbit which crosses one’s path in front is a good omen and one which crosses behind is a bad one.
  • Hares were never mentioned at sea, as they were considered ill-omened words, and to meet one on the way to sea was a very bad omen.
  • If a pregnant woman saw a hare it was believed that her child would be born with a hare lip (or cleft palate).
  • Hares were thought to be predictors of fire, and if one ran through the village it was believed a fire would soon break out.
  • The traditional Easter animal is the hare. The Easter festival is reputed to have obtained its name from the Teutonic goddess of the dawn, Eostre, whose sacred animal was the hare.