Highly Valued

The following is excerpted from The Hare by Jill Mason.

____________________

Legislation [in Britain] regarding hares, and game in general, is a complex subject and some of the current laws date back to the 1830s.

Hares and game birds are deemed to be wild animals and in the Theft Act 1968 it was stated that wild animals do not belong to anyone. Even so, poaching has always been considered to be an act of theft. In medieval days, hares were considered to be on par with red deer and wild boar, and were very highly valued for hunting and therefore protected in Britain.

Even up to the early 19th century, poachers were heavily fined, imprisoned or even, in the event of repeated offences, banished to Australia.


Image: Nigil Artingstall.