Fertility of the European Brown Hare Across Plain, Hill and Mountain Environments in the Italian Peninsula
1
Department of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (DAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
2
Ufficio Foreste e Tutela del Territorio del Dipartimento Politiche Agricole e Forestali, della Regione Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
3
Federazione Italiana della Caccia (FIdC), 00198 Roma, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3690; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243690
Submission received: 27 November 2024
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Revised: 16 December 2024
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Accepted: 17 December 2024
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Published: 20 December 2024
(This article belongs to the Collection Recent Advance in Wildlife Conservation)
Simple Summary
This study analyzes the reproductive performance of the European brown hare across different areas and environments in Italy: a hilly and a mountainous district in Basilicata and two plains districts in Emilia–Romagna. Fertility varied significantly by region, with the highest rates observed in the areas closest to the coast in Emilia–Romagna and the lowest found in the mountainous areas of Basilicata. Seasonal fertility peaked in May across all areas and showed a slight positive correlation with climate oceanity levels. These findings highlight the need for differentiated conservation strategies aimed at enhancing hare population resilience. Future research should incorporate factors like genetic diversity, juvenile survival, and environmental impacts to better understand regional reproductive differences and improve conservation efforts to ensure long-term population sustainability.
Abstract
This study examines the reproductive performance of the European brown hare in Italy, focusing on four hunting districts in Basilicata (A1, A2) and Emilia–Romagna (A3, A4) and using the number of endometrial scars as a fertility indicator. Fertility, measured as the number of scars during the entire reproductive period, was highest in A1 (11.50 ± 1.64) and A4 (11.43 ± 1.01), followed by A3 (9.56 ± 1.09) and A2 (6.08 ± 1.34). Significant differences were found when comparing the mountain area (A2) with A4 (p < 0.01) and with A1 and A3 (p < 0.05). Regarding the overall monthly number of scars per individual across the four study areas, the highest value (3.16 ± 0.18) was observed in May, followed by March (2.74 ± 0.18), April (2.67 ± 0.20), June (2.57 ± 0.20), February (2.53 ± 0.34), July (2.40 ± 0.22), and August (2.19 ± 0.31). A correlation analysis identified a weak yet statistically significant positive relationship (r = 0.532; p = 0.036) between the Kerner Oceanity Index (with values of 16.87, 15.00, 8.45, and 11.11 in A1, A2, A3, and A4, respectively) and the number of scars per pregnancy across the four study areas. Understanding species’ reproductive dynamics is vital for assessing habitat suitability and creating strategies to sustain hare populations and their ecosystem roles.
