Bull Island hares?

fnaulty

Hi, has anybody seen hares on Bull Island recently? I heard they were in decline again.

Half-cocked

Haven't seen one since last Spring. Any ideas why they would be declining? Foxes maybe?

jmkennedyie

I remember hearing of Bull Island hares being netted for coursing purposes . That was several years ago.

whyulittle

According to an episode of Coast on BBC one week, the coursing association manage an island, somewhere out West I think, to breed Hares for coursing. They are tagged afterwards so as not to be picked again.

[/end my recollection of Coast]

mikemac1

You are correct

That's Oyster Island just off Sligo

fnaulty

Decline might be foxes. The coursing involvement ended quite a while ago according to some research I read from UCD.

Traonach

Disturbance by people must be a factor. The place is always full of people. People often walk their dogs there and no doubt dogs off their leads harass the hares. The place is supposed to be a reserve.
Perhaps they could set up trails which people should should stay on and not leave. Get people to keep their dogs on leash.

I wonder does that golf course have an effect on the Hares?

Half-cocked

I despair every time I see dogs charging around in the reserve. Apart from disturbance to hares, there is a lot of disruption to flocks of waders and brent geese.

fnaulty

Was out there recently for a walk, the dogs off leads seem to be everywhere. They must be having an impact on all the wildlife out there. Can't see too many ground breeding birds being successful in the dune area. Seems a shame since it is surposed to be a reserve.