Easter Bunny or Easter Hare?

Easter is nearly upon us - and soon children and adults alike will be looking for Easter eggs hidden by the Easter bunny. In Baden-Württemberg there are two wild species which people here call bunnies - the wild rabbit and the European hare. And they can be found not only in the fields and meadows - they are quite at home around people. The University of Freiburg’s professorship of Wildlife Ecology and Management is making a special Easter call for locals to register sightings of wild rabbits and European hares on the website “Wilde Nachbarn” from 16 March to 8 April 2018. Participants get the chance to win a number of prizes.

You have good odds of seeing wild rabbits in allotment gardens, parks, cemeteries and sports grounds. Hares are most often seen grazing in grassy areas, in fields and meadows. Both species are most often spotted at dusk. Anyone who would like to join in is most welcome to report their observation of hares and wild rabbits via the internet portal “Wilde Nachbarn Baden-Württemberg”:

www.bw.wildenachbarn.de

The researchers hope that their call will lead to more data about hares and rabbits in human settlements. At the same time, people can learn how to distinguish between the two species. The research team describes the features which distinguish them at the website www.wildtiere-stadt.wildtiere-bw.de – and it also has instructions as to how to register your bunny observations. And if you see any other wild animals - please report that too!