Raising Hare

Chloe’s interactions with the hare cause her to research and ruminate on the impact that humans have had on wild animals, particularly their habitats. Habitat is an ecological term that refers not only to the physical space in which a particular species makes its home, but also to the array of natural resources contained in that area: Land formations, the availability of food, the presence or absence of predators, water, soil, and weather conditions, and the presence of other species are all considered part of an animal’s habitat. Some species require relatively little space in which to thrive while others are nomadic, traversing vast areas in the course of their daily lives. The hare’s habitat thus includes Chloe’s home and garden, but also the fields and woods surrounding her house. The plants that it eats, the rabbits and other small animals it comes into contact with, as well as the birds of prey and carnivorous animals like stoats are also part of its habitat. The human impact on animal habitats has been profound, Chloe discovers, especially in the decades since the introduction of mechanized agriculture. With an increasing amount of land devoted to farming, dairy, egg, and meat production, many animals’ natural habitats have shrunk dramatically. Hunting, too, encroaches on wild animal habitat, introducing new predators in the form of humans and their dogs. Chloe observes first-hand the profound effect of agriculture on the habitat of her hare: She goes walking in neighboring fields after the fall harvest and finds countless dead hares and other small animals. In addition to mowing down a variety of plant species the hares rely upon for food, the large plows also indiscriminately kill any animal caught in their path. Although the destruction Chloe observes is confined to a small area of fields, she understands that this process has led to the greatest population decline hares have ever seen.

Hares, whose young are called leverets, are a species of animal belonging to the genus Lepus. They are herbivorous and live either alone or in pairs. They nest, as Chloe observes, in shallow depressions in soil or grass, and the young are left to fend for themselves shortly after birth. Chloe’s hare deviates from this norm: It cares for its young for several months before they leave the garden to strike off on their own. Hares are often confused with rabbits, but the two are distinct. Hares are larger than rabbits, often weighing twice as much at maturity as the average rabbit. They are longer and leaner with powerful legs and much longer ears than rabbits. They are native to Africa, Eurasia, and North America and have been interacting with humans for thousands of years. They are capable of moving at up to 35 miles per hour, making them adept at evading predation. They are known for exhibiting wild, playful behavior that historically led some observers to associate them symbolically with mental illness. A key example of this seemingly “mad” behavior is “boxing,” which Chloe learns is part of an elaborate mating ritual: The hares strike one another with their paws in the process of choosing a mate. Hares have been written about widely in popular culture, most notably by the English author Lewis Carrol, whose “Mad March Hare” has done much to popularize hares’ image as wild and unpredictable. Hares are considered a delicacy in many cultures and have been widely hunted by humans for thousands of years.