The population of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus P.) has declined over the last 10 years throughout Europe, including Slovenia. It has become an endangered species of small game. Reports from hunting associations indicate that the population numbers of this species are declining and solutions are needed to prevent the decline of the population and to preserve its natural habitat. The literature states that the population of brown hare is declining due to intensification of agriculture, climatic changes, especially during the spawning season of young, by predators, overgrowth of agricultural land, reduction of potential natural habitat due to urbanization of rural areas, proximity to road infrastructure, reduction of arable land, height and type of vegetation, diseases and parasites. We hypothesize that the brown hare population can be maintained by preventing overgrowth of agricultural lands, maintaining small game habitat and set-aside of cropland, reducing agricultural intensification, and Common Agriculture Policy coordinating conservation of small game habitat.
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