Reducing visual stimulations in european hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) captured for translocation

Authors studied the effect of the use of a blindfolding hood applied to the hares immediately after net trapping. A total of 119 hares were captured by coursing with 3-4 dogs (greyhounds or lurchers) in no hunting areas of Tuscany. Immediately after net trapping 38 hares were blindfolded with a hood and 81 were normally handled to the wooden darkened capture-boxes without blinding their eyes (control). From all the hares a sample of blood was collected within 1 - 2 minutes by the auricular vein. Blood samples were analyzed for haemocromo-cytometry and metabolic profile determination. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. Sub-clinically stressed hares were discriminated from non-stressed hares by the use of the discriminant function based on CK, AST and Glucose and the differences were tested by chi square. Results showed that body temperature, heart and respiratory rates, glucose, cholesterol, CK, AST, ALT, BUN, total protein and some haemocromo-cytometric parameters were significantly higher in captured hares without blindfold. The incidence of subclinically stressed hares was 26% in the hares equipped with the blindfold and 81% in the hares without blindfold (χ.2c = 32.98, p <0.0001) (presence of subclinical stress discriminated by the use of a discriminant function based on CPK, AST and Glucose). For this reason the procedures designed for the translocation of the hares could take advantage by the use a blindfold which should be applied to the hares immediately after their trapping