RESEARCH ARTICLE First findings of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) reintroduction in relation to seasonal impact 1,2 1 2 1 Jan Cukor , FrantisÏek HavraÂnek , Rostislav LindaID *, Karel Bukovjan , Michael Scott Painter3, Vlastimil Hart3 1 Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, JõÂlovisÏtě, Czech Republic, 2 Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Silviculture, Suchdol, Czech Republic, 3 Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Suchdol, Czech Republic a1111111111 a1111111111 *
[email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract In Europe, brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations have been declining steadily since the 1970s. Gamekeepers can help to support brown hare wild populations by releasing cage-reared hares into the wild. Survival rates of cage-reared hares has been investigated OPEN ACCESS in previous studies, however, survival times in relation to seasonality, which likely plays a Citation: Cukor J, HavraÂnek F, Linda R, Bukovjan K, crucial role for the efficacy of this management strategy, has not been evaluated. Here we Painter MS, Hart V (2018) First findings of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) reintroduction in relation examine the survival duration and daytime home ranges of 22 hares released and radio- to seasonal impact. PLoS ONE 13(10): e0205078. tracked during different periods of the year in East Bohemia, Czech Republic. The majority https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205078 of hares (82%) died within the first six months after release, and 41% individuals died within Editor: Bi-Song Yue, Sichuan University, CHINA the first 10 days.