If you see a baby hare, leave it right there!*
Spring is on its way, and with it comes an influx of wildlife babies that are born. Sadly, many are “kidnapped” by well-meaning humans who think that if they are alone, that they have been orphaned or abandoned by their parent(s). This is not true!
Baby hares are often kidnapped in the spring and summer months and often it leads to their death. Humans think these adorable youngsters have been left by their mother because they are alone, but this is normal for them.
When hares are born, they are born without a scent so they are less likely to be found by predators. The mother intentionally leaves them alone throughout the day, returning only a couple of times (typically dusk and dawn) to feed them. She knows that the more time she spends with them, the more likely she is to attract predators to her young.
Wild hares are precocial, meaning they are born with their eyes open and they are fully furred, unlike domestic rabbits. Within a day of being born they are able to move around and even nibble on grass. They are adapted to being alone, and it’s completely normal for them to run around and be in a different spot from where their mother left them. She will find her young within a block of where she left them, if not further.
If you find a baby hare in the road, or in a window well etc. it is okay to pick them up and put them in a safe spot close to where you found them. Mothers do not reject their young if the scent of humans is on them. One thing you can do is to rub the baby down with grass as this will aid in removing some of the human scent which may attract predators, such as cats, dogs, and coyotes.
Never attempt to look after wildlife yourself, if you find one that is injured or you believe is truly orphaned then please contact a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Sadly, hares die very easily in captivity due to high stress levels and when they are young it’s incredibly hard to replicate the formula their mother gives them. More often than not, they die in captivity and many times it could be prevented if people would leave them alone in the wild where they belong.
If you see a baby hare, please, please leave it alone. If you are concerned, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator for more information before intervening. If it’s in a road or something similar, put it in a safe spot and then call a rehabilitation centre for more advice.
Have questions, ask away! :)
* Phrase coined by awesome co-worker.