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BSCG (Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group)
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brown hares Lepus europaeus leporidae
brown hares Lepus europaeus leporidae

Strathspey, Scotland. Brown hares are on the Scottish Biodiversity List (see: www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/16118/B... ) and have a parliamentary champion in the Scottish Parliament. (see: www.scotlink.org/wp/files/page/Brown-hare.pdf). Woodland is an important habitat for both shelter and nightime feeding for brown hares in the Highlands (as reported in 2013 (see Reassessing the Habitats of Brown Hare and Wild-living Cats in Strathspey; Highland Naturalist 9: 2-4) and evident from further observations in Strathspey including on threatened site since 2013. This habitat and even boundary features were not recognized as a habitat for brown hares in the 2002 Cairngorms Local Biodiversity action Plan.
Development is a worrying threat to brown hare habitat in the Cairngorms National Park. In Strathspey even in the case of major proposed developments, like the ACM new town (a settlement of 1,500 houses) , planners have failed to require surveys in line with good practice. Written guidance was provided in a Mammal Society publication in 2012.(Wheeler P, Way S & Yalden D Brown hare and Mountain hare p31-43 in 'UK BAP Mammals Interim Guidance for Survey methodologies. Impact Assessment & Mitigation'). Indirect impacts of development include increased fatalities from Road Traffic Accidents ( and BSCG has recorded brown hare roadkills in recent years on the B970 adjacent to the controversial proposed ACM new town in Strathspey). in theory planners are among those in Scotland who have a 'biodiversity duty' (see www.snh.gov.uk/docs/B836048.pdf ) under the Nature Conservation Scotland of 2004 (see: www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2004/6/contentshttp://www.snh.... ). This should apply to the delightful brown hare as a species on the Scottish Biodiversity List. Regretably it very much BSCG's experience (in both Badenoch & Strathspey within the Cairngorms National Park) that even after formal written requests to planners for hares to be surveyed on sites proposed for development credible surveys are not asked for. Apparently no legal case has ever been taken in relation to failures associated with the Biodiversity Duty of the Nature Conservation Scotland Act 2004. In Scotland hare coursing is illegal (see: wildlifedetective.wordpress.com/2016/08/06/the-law-on-har... ) but as in other parts of Britain remains a problem in some areas as from time to time is reported in the media (see eg .http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38949595 ).

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Taken on: April 24, 2017
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Camera: NIKON COOLPIX P900, f/5.6, 1/500 sec, 178mm, ISO 320 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: NIKON COOLPIX P900
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length: 178mm
ISO: 320
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Program AE
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
Software: COOLPIX P900 V1.3
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brown hares Lepus europaeus leporidae

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