The Hare

In Ireland there are two species of hare present. The brown hare is regarded as the lowland hare with the blue or mountain hare the upland variety.  The hare for Irish country people is shrouded in mystery and is often linked with the banshee that foretells of death in families of Irish descent.

Unlike rabbits, hares do not burrow into the ground.  Instead they scrape out a shallow depression in the ground called a form and it is here the young hares, called leverets are born.  Whilst the young of rabbits are born naked and with their eyes closed, leverets are born fully furred and are with their eyes open.

Many breeds of dogs have been developed in Ireland over the years for hunting hares most widely used are the various lurcher breeds that are descended from greyhounds.

This blue hare is a species of the more common brown hare and is found mainly on the upland or mountainous slopes in Ireland.  It is very similar to its lowland cousin in all respects except for its ability to shed its coat in winter and adopt a temporary, white coat that offers it some camouflage.