Early summer

Early hay mowing saves the lives of hundreds of fawns

Early summer causes the grasses to sprout up faster than usual. This pleases not only the farmers, who may even be able to harvest one mowing more than normal, but also the hunters and all animal lovers in Upper Austria. Because the early first cut is a lifesaver for young wild animals hundreds, if not thousands of times over.

They duck into the grass when danger comes! This behavior helps against natural enemies, but is deadly when mowing. Across Germany, 25,000 fawns and thousands of bunnies are "mowed" every year. "This year, the weather and the early first mowing helps the animals," says wildlife biologist Christopher Böck from the Upper Austrian Hunting Association. The farmers, who cultivate 211,000 hectares of grassland in Upper Austria - that's 42 percent of all agricultural land - will mow for the first time at the end of April in favorable locations. "The first cut is the most important, as it is the best quality," explains Stefan Rudlstorfer from the Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, and: "The weather is perfect, there is enough moisture and it is now warm."

Peak setting time is May
"There are already the first young hares, but most of them are set in May, as are the fawns," says Böck, and by this time most of the meadows should already have been mown. "The mother animals then look for other protected places," explains the biologist.

Air support
Incidentally, hunters and farmers have now upgraded their equipment and often search the areas with drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras before mowing. Any animals found are brought to safety and safely released.