The Health and Future of the Six Hare Species in Europe: A Closer Look at the Iberian Hare

Abstract

Although there are around 40 species of hares in the world divided into three different genera (Lepus, Caprolagus, and Pronolagus), only six species inhabit Europe, all belonging to genus Lepus. The conservation status of these six species was recently revised in the International Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Lepus castroviejoi and L. corsicanus were attributed the status of "vulnerable". The other four species, L. europaeus, L. timidus, L. capensis, and L. granatensis, were considered of "least concern" although a declining trend was recognized for the last two species' wild populations. Here we review the major threats to the hare species in Europe, with emphasis on infectious diseases. Furthermore, we present the sanitary data regarding the Iberian hare populations from Portugal, which were severely affected by the emergence of a naturally occurring recombinant myxoma virus (MYXV), first reported in mid-2018. The recent detection in 2019 of a leporid herpesvirus (LeHV-5), which pathogenicity appears to be exacerbated in MYXV-infected hares, brings additional concerns to the health and conservation of the Iberian hare.

Evaluation of Commercial Myxomatosis Vaccines against Recombinant Myxoma Virus (ha-MYXV) in Iberian Hare and Wild Rabbit

“…In 2018, a natural recombinant myxoma virus (referred to as ha-MYXV or MYXV-Tol08/18) emerged in the Iberian hare ( Lepus granatensis ), affecting many populations in Spain [ 1 , 2 ] and Portugal [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

“…With an apparent mortality rate of 55.4% [ 6 ], the geographic spread of ha-MYXV outbreaks increased concerns about the resilience limit of the Iberian hare wild populations against the many insidious factors that have accelerated their decline over the last decades [ 5 ]. Despite the conservation status of the Iberian hare ( Lepus granatensis ) being considered of “Least Concern” by the IUCN in 2019, many local populations are currently threatened, as a result of severe loss of habitat imposed by human activities, and more recently, due to the emergence of infectious diseases such as ha-MYXV and LeHV-5 [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ] and the cumulative effects with other diseases such as cysticercosis [ 5 ].…”

A Versatile qPCR for Diagnosis of Leporid Gammaherpesvirus 5 Using Evagreen® or Taqman® Technologies

“…The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) solely inhabits the Iberian Peninsula and is currently considered a "least concern" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although a declining trend was recognized in the 2019 review [1,2]. The Iberian hare is the only hare species found in Portugal and in the last years, many local populations became extinct or significantly reduced due to cumulative changes in the habitat and emergence of new pathogens.…”

“…The Iberian hare is the only hare species found in Portugal and in the last years, many local populations became extinct or significantly reduced due to cumulative changes in the habitat and emergence of new pathogens. Multidisciplinary approaches to investigate the causes of mortality and decline of the Iberian hare and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), both key wild species of the Mediterranean ecosystems, is paramount for biodiversity conservation [1,3].…”

“…LeHV-5 was also detected in apparently healthy hares, suggesting that LeHV-5 is circulating in the population, as observed with other human gammaherpesvirus (e.g., Epstein-Barr virus). Additionally, the high number of symptomatic co-infections by LeHV-5 and the recombinant myxoma virus (ha-MYXV) [1,9] suggests that immunosuppression caused by MYXV triggers the necessary mechanisms for reactivation of LeHV-5 in asymptomatic infected hares. Given the fragile state of Iberian hare populations in Portugal and Spain after mid-2018, and since ha-MYXV is endemic in the Iberian Peninsula, it is important to investigate the LeHV-5 geographic spread in wild populations, and to assess the overlap with areas where MYXV epidemics are recurrent.…”