Raised by hand

Two baby rabbits were rescued from a building pit

The baby hares are now lovingly reared by hand.(Bild: Vier Pfoten)

The young animals were found by passers-by and are now being nursed by humans. At the same time, however, experts warn against merely well-intentioned animal love.

There is currently a very special "Easter nest" at the Haringsee owl and bird of prey sanctuary in the district of Gänserndorf. Two baby brown hares are currently being cared for there. Passers-by discovered them in a nearby excavation pit and brought them there. "There was no sheltered place nearby where they could have been released. So it was right that they were brought to us," says manager Hans Frey. The rodents are now fed up to five times a day until they can drink from a bottle.

Not every baby has to be saved
However, Frey also emphasizes that not every baby rabbit has to be saved. "It's normal for a young rabbit to sit alone in a hollow in the ground all day and wait for its mother," says Frey. This is because she is usually not far away looking for food, but does not show herself when potential enemies, including humans, are nearby. "Rescue is only justified if it is visibly injured or the mother has demonstrably died," says Frey, who recommends always contacting a wildlife station first if in doubt.

Incidentally, even if you accidentally touch a young hare, you don't have to take it with you straight away. Frey: "Contrary to popular belief, the mother hare will continue to care for her young in any case, even if she recognizes humans by smell."