The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is an important game species throughout Europe. In Italy, for preventing the introduction of allochthonous strains, the management of brown hare populations has focused on the establishment of small protected areas (ZRCs), appositely managed for disposing of wild-born hares for restocking hunting territories. We investigated the effects of both land cover and surveillance on hare density and habitat preferences in 20 ZRCs, monitored twice per year (pre- and post-breeding periods) between 1997 and 2017. Density, as assessed by spotlight counts, ranged between 2.8 and 47.0 ind/km² in spring and 5.0 and 68.4 ind/km² in autumn. Surveillance, percent length of protected boundaries, year of institution and habitat diversity, as assessed by Shannon’s Index, were the main factors affecting hare density. During their foraging activity, hares selected ryegrass, hayfields and lucerne, while avoided maize stubble and ploughed fields and were never recorded in poplar plantations or next to human settlements. While the effects of habitat heterogeneity on hare density have been widely studied, we suggest that the involvement of local stakeholders may be of paramount importance for ensuring effective conservation measures.

中文翻译：

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监测和生境多样性影响受保护的繁殖区欧洲褐兔（Lepus europaeus）的密度

欧洲褐兔（Lepus europaeus）是整个欧洲重要的猎物种类。在意大利，为防止引入异源菌株，褐兔种群的管理重点是建立小型保护区（ZRCs），并适当管理处置野生的野兔以补充狩猎领土。我们调查了1997年至2017年期间每年进行两次监测（繁殖前后）的20个ZRC中土地覆盖和监测对兔子密度和栖息地偏好的影响。通过聚光灯计数评估的密度在2.8到2.5之间。春季为47.0 ind / km ²，春季为5.0和68.4 ind / km ²在秋天。香农指数评估的监测，保护边界的长度百分比，机构年份和栖息地多样性是影响兔子密度的主要因素。在觅食活动中，野兔选择了黑麦草，干草田和卢塞恩，同时避免了玉米茬和耕地，并且从未在杨树种植园或人类住区附近记录到。虽然已经广泛研究了栖息地异质性对兔子密度的影响，但我们建议，当地利益相关者的参与对于确保有效的保护措施可能至关重要。