tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204430743209912348.post2154073857217197808..comments2023-12-04T09:12:04.628+00:00Comments on <img src="http://www.gwct.org.uk/media/361898/gwctlogo.jpg"> GWCT News & Advisory: Chris Packham – “So grouse moors are good for ecology?”GWCThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10926927246833909130noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204430743209912348.post-46994861185533220242014-10-01T14:18:33.076+01:002014-10-01T14:18:33.076+01:00I think the source of the statement you make about...I think the source of the statement you make about the mountain hare's range not shrinking also says that it cannot comment on the abundance of hares; that 90% of hares are culled for tick control or sport; and that such killing has increased by 32% over a roughly 10 year period. You also suggest that hares have to be killed to protect heather cover. Taking this into account together with the large "natural" fluctuations in hare populations that you refer to, means that we do not know what the long term effect will be of large scale culls on hare populations. You also suggest that hares have to be culled to protect heather cover It does demonstrate that managing landscapes to benefit bio-diversity either directly or as a by-product of other activity is complex. For example, taking out predators on grouse moors results in more hares that then have to be culled to protect grouse from disease and loss of heather. The more grouse you want, the more intensive the management has to be.The only fact we have is that the question "are grouse moors good for ecology" has not been satisfactorily answered. Ian Whittakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204430743209912348.post-61310088611564562014-09-30T15:59:58.237+01:002014-09-30T15:59:58.237+01:00Thanks for your question. You can find out more ab...Thanks for your question. You can find out more about the mountain hare here: http://www.gwct.org.uk/research/species/mammals/mountain-hare/#GWCThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10926927246833909130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204430743209912348.post-63317524397609063212014-09-30T14:51:46.363+01:002014-09-30T14:51:46.363+01:00This only comments on how the mountain hare is far...This only comments on how the mountain hare is faring in Scotland, but 20% of its range is elsewhere.<br />Your own website gives numbers of mountain hares in England as just 500, but that was in 1995. Are there any more recent, reliable figures, and what is being done to increase numbers south of the Scottish border?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204430743209912348.post-32706618002562612762014-09-29T15:20:15.334+01:002014-09-29T15:20:15.334+01:00No lack of Mountain Hare seen on Scotland's up...No lack of Mountain Hare seen on Scotland's uplands this year. See here - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=583536435094815 <br /><br />Also great to see one leveret at 4,100 feet in the Cairngorms in June, with Dotterel, Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting and Reindeer for companions! Raymondohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17330050575733176401noreply@blogger.com