On fertility of female European hares (Lepus europaeus) in areas of different population densities

We examined the reproductive rate and health status of 57 adult female Euro pean bares (Lepus europaeus) in seven hunting districts in Lower Austria in the year 1998. Females from areas of different population density showed n o differences regarding body weight, health status, or numbers of placental scars. 82,5 % of all females had placental scars. The mean number of place ntal scars of parous females was 9,6, the maximum was 19. There was a tende ncy toward a higher proportion of non-parous females in areas of below-aver age population density (27 %) than in areas of above-average population den sity (7 %). Because of lower hunting pressure, females from areas with belo w-average population density were older. With increasing age the proportion of females with pathological uteri increased. Nearly all of these patholog ical uteri were combined with infertility. Areas of different population de nsities did not differ in habitat structure or in the proportion of natural parts (e.g., fallow fields). Annual precipitation was higher in areas of l ow population density. We suggest that differences in population density in our study sites are not due to different fertility of females or males, bu t could be ascribed to different mortality rate in leverets due to differen t climatic conditions.