The Game Conservancy Trust are running this survey during summer 2007 and have requested that MCofS members participate.

Why a hare survey?
Mountain hare numbers in Scotland are currently unknown. However under the EU Habitats Directive; the UK Government has an obligation to ensure the sustainable management of this species. It is important that decisions concerning future management of mountain hares are based on sound science. To make this possible, we need accurate information on the distribution of mountain hares. Visitors to the Scottish uplands are uniquely placed to provide valuable information on sightings of mountain hare.

What can you do?
We would like you to:

• Record a four figure grid reference of where you have seen mountain hare since March 2006, together with the name of a village or landscape feature nearby.
• Email or post us the grid reference and local landscape feature to the address below, together with your name and address if you wish to be entered into the raffle and receive a copy of the newsletter summarising the results.

Complete the survey by 3 August 2007 - Have a chance to win an original watercolour study of a Blue/Mountain Hare by well known wildlife artist Ashley Boon.

Identifying mountain hare
The mountain hare is sometimes known as the blue hare because of its blue-grey summer coat (the period when this survey is being undertaken), in contrast to the rich-brown fur of the brown hare. The mountain hare’s winter coat is white, while the brown hare’s coat remains brown. The mountain hare is also smaller than the brown hare, having a body length of around 50-60 cm, with a more rounded shape, and without a black upper surface on the tail. Mountain hares also have shorter ears and legs than the brown hare, although both types of hare have much longer ears and hind legs than rabbits which are sometimes confused with hares. Rabbits are smaller, and do not have black tips to the ears.

What’s in it for me?
At the end of the survey, all people returning complete forms will receive a newsletter summarising the results. As an incentive to fill out this form and return it to us, forms returned by 3 August 2007 will be entered into a raffle to win either an original watercolour study of a Blue/Mountain Hare by Wildlife & Sporting Artist, Ashley Boon (www.ashleyboon.co.uk) or two bottles of 10 year old Famous Grouse Malt, kindly provided by Edrington Group, owners of The Famous Grouse.
The draw will take place by the end of August, judge’s decisions are final and the winner will be notified by post. No correspondence will be entered into.

Confidentiality
Please note that all data submitted will remain strictly confidential. Only data summaries will be passed on to third parties, and solely for the purpose of this project. For example, the hare distribution data will be grouped at the 10 by 10 km square level before being shared with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Macaulay Institute, the GCT’s partners in this project.

Please send details of mountain hares to: smh@gct.org.uk
Or by post to:
The Scottish Mountain Hare Survey
The Game Conservancy Trust
Fordingbridge
SP6 1EF

For information specifically regarding Mountain hares, their status in Scotland etc. contact Adam Smith at The Game Conservancy Trust, Drumochter (01528 522 300)
For more information regarding this survey please phone: 01425 652 381 and ask for The Scottish Mountain Hare Survey Team.
Further copies of this questionnaire can be downloaded from the Game Conservancy Trust’s Scottish Mountain Hare survey page: www.gct.org.uk/smhs.