Climate change is shrinking mountain hare’s alpine habitat
Researchers predict that the mountain hare’s alpine habitat will shrink by a third every year until 2100
Rolf Giger, WSL
Global warming is making life difficult for the mountain hare in the Swiss Alps. As a result, they are becoming increasingly rare, an international study headed by Swiss scientists has revealed.
The team’s studyExternal link, co-conducted with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, investigated the influence of climate change on the distribution of hares in the Swiss Alps, analysing over 1,000 animals between 1990 and 2013.
They found that the animal’s habitat will not only shrink, but also become more fragmented. As a result, the populations of mountain hare, also known as the snow hare (Lepus timidus), will become less well interconnected which could lead to a loss of genetic diversity, the WSL said in a press releaseExternal link on Tuesday. Overall, the snow hare’s population is expected to decrease in future, declared the authors of the study, which was published in the scientific journal Global Change BiologyExternal link.
“The loss and increasing fragmentation of habitats means that the species is increasingly endangered,” wrote the study’s main author, Maik Rehnus.
The scientists recommend setting up a national mountain hare monitoring system to help the animals continue to survive – and thrive in the Swiss Alps.
Related Stories
Popular Stories
More
Demographics
Roger Federer is not eternal, but he changed tennis forever
Switzerland could produce up to 5Mt of emissions annually by 2050
This content was published on
Two to five megatonnes of CO2 equivalents per year: this is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that Switzerland is still expected to produce annually in 2050, a new study shows.
US tariffs putting 100,000 jobs at risk in Switzerland
This content was published on
US tariffs of 39% on Swiss imports will directly affect 100,000 jobs, mainly in the watchmaking, machinery, metals, and food industries, economiesuisse warns.
This content was published on
Switzerland has released CHF4 million (nearly $5 million) to help Sudan, which has been severely affected by famine and cholera.
Switzerland rejects new Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory
This content was published on
Switzerland says it rejects the announced construction of thousands of housing units in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank.
Larry Finck and André Hoffmann named interim co-chairs of WEF board
This content was published on
The WEF also revealed an investigation commissioned by the board has cleared its founder Klaus Schwab and his wife of accusations made by anonymous whistleblowers.
Vice-president of German parliament in favour of Switzerland joining EU
This content was published on
The vice-president of the Bundestag says his country should support closer ties between Switzerland and the European Union given the customs conflict with the United States.
Lindt & Sprüngli reportedly considering shifting Easter bunny production to US
This content was published on
Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli could relocate the production of its gold-wrapped Easter bunnies to the US in order to circumvent the import tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
Swiss petition launched against curbing 30km/h speed limit
This content was published on
The Traffic Club of Switzerland (TCS) has submitted a petition to the Federal Chancellery, challenging the 30km/h speed limit on local roads.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Alpine flowers fight for food and space
This content was published on
Global warming is affecting the range of alpine flora – creating winners and losers, says a joint study from Swiss and Austrian scientists.
This content was published on
Researchers say three iconic Swiss animal species spend more time at higher elevations in autumn than they did in the past due to climate change.
This content was published on
Because of global warming, trees in the Alps are coming into leaf earlier than they used to – which could have negative consequences.
This content was published on
As temperatures climb and growing seasons change, milk producers must cooperate to improve their grassland management practices.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.