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Text Box: Villagelinks.co.uk was originally created by Wayne Birks and Fiona Buchanan as part of Barrowden’s celebration of the millennium and is currently managed and edited by Iain and Caroline McBain.

Rounded Rectangle: We would like to thank John Comber, David Blake and the Rockingham Forest Walkers for providing many of the photos for this site.

Wakerley and Barrowden Cricket Club

Fun Day

Saturday 19th July

from 12 noon

on the Rec

6-a-side fun cricket

(to enter a fun team ,

contact 07803 585 196)

Tombola

Bar-b-q

Bar

Cake Stall

Bouncy Castle

Hop Skip and Jump

Brown hares have been with us since Roman times but their populations have been declining with current estimates at between 600,000 to 800,000 individuals.

The decline in hare numbers has been attributed to intensification of agriculture which results in the loss of significant food sources, increase in the number of foxes which is the hare’s main predator, and shooting and coursing.

The Community Heritage Initiative’s Hop, Skip and Jump survey asks recorders to note the location, habitat and numbers of hares and rabbits seen. The aim of the survey is to find out the size of Leicestershire and Rutland’s hare and rabbit populations, the distribution of the species in our two Counties, and the kinds of habitats they prefer.

The best time for seeing hares and rabbits is around dawn and dusk which was born out by records where hares were mainly seen around 6-6.30pm and rabbits early morning and evening. This may also reflect when most recorders were out and about.

Records sent in have noted that hares were only seen in a group once, which fits their are usually solitary nature. In comparison rabbits were seen mainly in pairs or groups.

Hares were found in grassland or woody areas, which is their preferred habitat. They live in very exposed habitats and rely on their acute senses such as their 360-degree vision and their ability to run at speeds of up to 40mph to avoid predators.

Rabbits were found in a variety of habitats which included arable fields, farmland and woodland. Rabbits are found anywhere where they can burrow and the most suitable habitats are those where the burrows and food supply are side by side.

Due to its decline in numbers, the brown hare is a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) which aims to maintain and expand existing numbers by the year 2010. The brown hare has very little legal protection as it is classed as a game species, and is the only UK game species not to have a closed season when hunting is prohibited.

The Hop, Skip and Jump survey is continuing this year and CHI is hoping to receive more records so we can find out what is happening to our hare and rabbit populations in Leicestershire and Rutland, so please send your records in. Survey forms can be downloaded at

www.leics.gov.uk/celebrating_wildlife

or obtained by calling 0116 267 1377

or emailing wildlife@leics.gov.uk