Small ruminants as manipulators of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) habitat in kermes oak rangelands.

Livestock grazing affects habitat structure and forage resources, thus it often influences the abundance and dispersion of wild fauna's populations. The aim of this study was to assign the usefulness of small ruminants as habitat manipulators for brown hare in a mosaic landscape (kermes oak stands intermingled with grasslands). The importance of kermes oak as a food resource for goats and sheep in spring was estimated with the microhistological analysis of faeces. We a lso tested the hypothesis that different levels of livestock grazing intensity influence the use of kermes oak stands by hare; and the type of habitat (kermes oak stands or grasslands), which is used more intensively by hares, using the pellet counts method. Kermes oak was a primary food resource for goats and a secondary one for sheep. Different levels of livestock grazing intensity did not affect the use of kermes oak stands by hare. Grasslands constituted the main feeding habitat for hare, while kermes oak stands were used mainly for shelter. Reducing the scrubland area and creating various shaped and sized openings (grasslands) could benefit brown hares. However, available cover and food must both be considered in conserva tion plans. Manipulation of kermes oak stands can be based mainly on goats and secondarily on sheep. Grazing strategies may be used to increase forage availability for hare, to improve its quality and to provide adequate cover, so as to attract hares to desired areas. Thus, under appropriate grazing management brown hare habitat values could be enhanced.