20/03/2024
Today is the spring equinox - the beginning of astronomical spring. A time of new life, optimism, and hope. The symbol of spring is the hare - an animal rightly associated with rebirth and fertility, known for its rapid reproduction. The breeding season of the European hare depends on climatic conditions and can last from January to September. The first leverets are born as early as February and March. They are born with open eyes and fur, protecting them from frost. They are hidden in a nest in the ground, in the grass (but not in a burrow like rabbits), and their protection from predators is the camouflaging color of their fur and lack of scent. The mother only comes to feed them once a day - for the rest of the time, the young hares are on their own, and this is completely normal - do not touch or take away accidentally found leverets!
Once, the hare was a very common animal. However, the mechanization of agriculture, the expansion of cultivated areas - monocultures along with the disappearance of field groves and hedgerows where it could take shelter, as well as the widespread use of pesticides, have greatly harmed it. Traffic poses a threat (lack of crossings for migrating wild animals), as do the increasing populations of foxes, as well as dogs and cats hunting in fields.
Therefore, to help hares, traditional, extensive, ecological agriculture should be protected, along with programs supporting biodiversity in rural areas. Maintaining field groves and hedgerows is essential. Limiting the use of pesticides, which poison hares and drastically reduce their food sources, is crucial. Combating the practice of burning grass, as such fires pose a lethal danger to young hares hidden in nests.
If we help hares to return to the fields, there is hope that this species will regenerate, thanks to its fertility, and we will encounter leverets not only on Easter cards and decorations but also during walks among the fields. I wish us all such a spring rebirth.
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