Amongst leporids, rabbits use underground warrens as resting and reproductive sites, whereas hares usually rests in soil depressions in woodlands or scrublands, providing them with cover and protection from predators. In this short communication, we reported for the first time the use of badger burrows as resting sites of the European brown hare Lepus europaeus in North-Eastern Italy. Underground dens may provide hares with the best cover from daylight and protection from both predators and bad weather conditions.

In the last decade, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of scientific publications on the ecology of the golden jackal Canis aureus, whereas information on its reproductive biology is still scanty, and the basic reproductive parameters of the species are not yet fully understood. In 2021, we began a research project in North-Eastern Italy, where the golden jackal is strictly protected under the National Law, to investigate the species behavioural ecology and reproductive biology at the den site, as a key element for defining conservation measures. Within this project, we documented allosuckling behaviour, possibly related to the breeding of two females within the same social unit, with den sharing and communal nursing of the cubs. Our observations open new scenarios and raise questions on the reproductive biology and social organisation of the golden jackal, stimulating further topics for research.