Manx Wildlife Trust is seeking support for its aim to have mountain hares reclassified as a protected species.

The organisation said: ’We are pleased to see the government consultation on animal welfare which is designed to bring protections for pets and companion animals in line with the UK.

’However, we think the proposal for mountain hares, Lepus Timidus, to be reclassified from "vermin" to "game’"does not go far enough. We believe mountain hares would have been native to the Isle of Man in the post-glacial period and, following their re-introduction in the 1950s, the island now supports a small but potentially vital population.

’Numbers of mountain hares are in decline in the British Isles due to loss of habitat and climate change. We therefore recommend mountain hares be classified as "protected" rather than "game". Any potential damage that mountain hares may cause to trees could be mitigated with the use of tree protectors rather than requiring management through hunting.’

The government has asked for public views regarding the proposed Animal Welfare Bill 2021. If you wish to make a comment all the information can be found at https://consult.gov.im/environment-food-and-agriculture/animal-welfare

The deadline for comments is Monday (April 5).