Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
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Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
IT is a sight so rare that they have been given special Government protection.
This adult albino brown hare was caught on camera in Hampshire at the weekend after surviving in the wild against all the odds.
They seldom live beyond the leveret stage because their pure white colouring makes them targets for foxes and other predators.
Brown hares have suffered a 75 per cent decline since the 1960s and were one of the first species to be given special conservation status under the Government’s biodiversity action plan programme.
Peter Thompson, farmland biodiversity advisor with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, based in Fordingbridge, spent many hours tracking down this rare mammal.
He said: “The last survey of hares suggested that their wintering numbers in Britain had dropped to around 800,000 animals.
“The action plan proposed that our countryside should support at least two million animals in winter and our recent records suggest that we might be halfway to achieving this target.
“In the eastern side of the country, including Yorkshire, they have been doing particularly well.
“However, in the western side of the country, including Wales, they are still showing a worrying decline.”
Safari Maiden- Posts : 3392
Join date : 2010-05-05
Age : 54
Location : Midlands
Re: Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
Ok Im getting myself confused I thought albinos had red eyes. Does this then mean the hare is more Leucistic
This is what I found on the internet: Leucism differs from albinism in that the melanin is, at least, partially absent but the eyes retain their usual color. Some leucistic animals are white or pale because of chromatophore (pigment cell) defects, and do not lack melanin.
If by definition it is Leucistic over Albino then how can a hare be recognised and protected by our government when other endangered animals of the world that are Leucistic are dismissed with the flick of a hand?
Or am I wrong!
SM
This is what I found on the internet: Leucism differs from albinism in that the melanin is, at least, partially absent but the eyes retain their usual color. Some leucistic animals are white or pale because of chromatophore (pigment cell) defects, and do not lack melanin.
If by definition it is Leucistic over Albino then how can a hare be recognised and protected by our government when other endangered animals of the world that are Leucistic are dismissed with the flick of a hand?
Or am I wrong!
SM
Safari Maiden- Posts : 3392
Join date : 2010-05-05
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Re: Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
not sure SM
Lai
Lai
Laikipia- Moderator
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Re: Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
Brown hares are becoming very rare and they are trying to conserve them, as this link explains they are virtually as rare as the water vole. I suppose whether a hare be brown or white it needs protecting.
I agree whether it be Albino or leucistic our government needs to continue to protect them, unfortunately our Government cannot control what others do around the world, but again like you SM I find it sad that other leucistic animals are not afforded the same protection.
Heres the link to the Brown Hare preservation Trust site.
http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/
littlewid-x-
I agree whether it be Albino or leucistic our government needs to continue to protect them, unfortunately our Government cannot control what others do around the world, but again like you SM I find it sad that other leucistic animals are not afforded the same protection.
Heres the link to the Brown Hare preservation Trust site.
http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/
littlewid-x-
littlewid- Admin
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Location : West Sussex
Re: Rare albino brown hare caught on camera
I agree LW.
I think I was clumsily trying to say the recognition by the government of leucism. There is the Leucism being a genetic throw back argument that others here is UK will not recognise as needing protection.
SM
I think I was clumsily trying to say the recognition by the government of leucism. There is the Leucism being a genetic throw back argument that others here is UK will not recognise as needing protection.
SM
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