CONSERVATIONISTS have appealed for public help so they can map the prevalence and range of Carmarthenshire's brown hares.

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has only limited county records for the rabbit-like mammal and needs more sightings to plan its future conservation.

The appeal coincides with what is traditionally the best time of year to spot hares — often referred to as 'mad March' hares for their unusual boxing mating ritual — and follows the success of a similar survey in neighbouring Ceredigion.

"A Biodiversity Action Plan is already in place for brown hares in Carmarthenshire, but we need to establish where populations are so we can target conservation measures," said Wildlife Trust conservation manager Dr Lizzie Wilberforce.

"At the moment we can't tell whether they are in one bit of the county or spread out any wider, so what we really need are more records.

"We know we have got brown hares right down to the coast in Carmarthenshire, as well as in varied agricultural areas. It's such a big county that it will be interesting to see where we get sightings from."

The brown hare is the only hare species native to Wales and has been in decline since the end of the Second World War.

Intensive farming methods and hunting have been blamed for an estimated 75 per cent drop in population, believed to be just 800,000 in the UK.

The hare is much larger than a rabbit, with larger back legs and black tips on its ears. It lives in depressions in long grass called 'forms' rather than burrows and can be found in arable fields and pasture with hedges and ditches.

It has a very characteristic way of moving and running, and has been known to reach speeds of 45mph.

Most active at night, it is often seen more at this time of year.

"Spring is traditionally a good time to spot them because nights are getting shorter and you're more able to see them at dawn and dusk," said Dr Wilberforce.

"You can see them at any time but now is the best time. Anecdotally they are less common as you head towards Pembrokeshire and rarer in West Wales generally compared to the east of England."

However the likelihood of seeing boxing hares — actually unreceptive females seeing off unwanted male suitors — is very small.

She added: "I've never seen them boxing in Carmarthenshire. You're more likely to see them in the east of England so I think you'd be very lucky and privileged if you saw it over here."

Some 260 public sightings were logged in Ceredigion when its hare survey was carried out from 2006 to 2007.

Any sightings of brown hares in Carmarthenshire can be reported to Dr Lizzie Wilberforce via email at l.wilberforce@welshwildlife.org