Demise of island hares a scandal

The Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (CACS) is alarmed at the news that hares are now extinct on Dublin Bay’s North Bull Island, one of Ireland’s most important nature reserves and coincidentally one that for generations had been almost synonymous with the Irish hare.

An article on the North Bull Island Wildlife website, which is run by an ecologist with over 40 years experience of studying and recording wildlife, reveals that no hares have been spotted on the island since June 2014.

The disappearance of hares from the island is attributed to disturbance by humans and dogs, with assorted environmental factors playing a less significant role. The absence of the Irish hare from this internationally recognized nature reserve must surely be a matter of concern for our politicians, regardless of their views on the deliberate ill-treatment of hares in coursing.