Habitat utilization of the Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) in hilly areas in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture during the winter season

Abstract

We surveyed the habitat utilization of the Japanese hare (Lepus brachyrus) during the winter season, including habitats composed of mosaic-like distributions of mixed forest, bamboo thickets, orchards, wastelands, farmlands, and paddy fields. In the analysis, Quantification (I) method is used as items geographical feature, canopy, vegetation coverage and landscape, and as outsiders, the number of droppings and feeding signs. As for the score of droppings vegetation item has more than other items, considering it is an important role to select the habitat. That is followed by canopy items. Among vegetation items the orchard has always more than other vegetation types, indicating the hares stay for the long term there. Regarding the feeding signs, though they differed by month, the scores for paddy fields, wastelands and orchards were highest. That is because the hares had a preference for new buds after the harvesting of the paddy fields or buds of weeds in the orchards and wastelands. Japanese hares generally consume Sasa grass which is concentrated in mixed woodlands, considered to be one of their feeding grounds. Droppings were found to be concentrated in the orchards, where the thick weeds provide useful cover for the hares. These orchards seem to be used as transit sites, which the hares use to move to and from other favored feeding sites.