The return of seasonal conditions has resulted in a boom in the city’s hare population and a massive increase in ‘orphaned’ baby hare calls to the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society.
Infant Snowshoe and White-tailed Prairie Hares are commonplace in the Calgary area during the spring. Adult hares are known to hide their babies under bushes and high grass for long periods of time. The newborns have no scent and are unlikely to attract predators.
While the mother is away, the newborns are often discovered by well-meaning members of the public who fear the animals have been abandoned.
The Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society is asking Calgarians not to pick-up or move uninjured baby hares. Officials with the organization say they have been inundated with phone calls about orphaned hares, prompting the group to create the motto ‘See a Hare, Leave It There’.
For more information, visit Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society.
