Half a dozen leverets are nearly ready to be released after being nursed back to health by Burnham-On-Sea animal care experts from Secret World Wildlife Rescue.
The group of six baby hares is made up of four siblings and two other leverets rescued separately by the animal charity.
The four baby leverets were originally rescued after they were found next to the body of their dead mother.
Their new companions joined the group after being found abandoned in Street, Somerset and Peasedown St John.
Secret World’s care team made the decision to rear all the leverets together as a family to give them a stronger chance of survival in the wild.
Animal carer Marie Densten has been tasked with looking after the leverets.
“Both new additions were in a sorry state. After assessing them, my priority was to give them some much-needed fluids,” said Marie.
“Rather than caring for them separately, it made sense to rear them together as a family of six. When they are finally released, their chances of survival will be much greater than if they were released individually.”
“They are now back at Secret World in an enclosure and are being weaned. It’s interesting to see that the oldest in the group is actually mothering the younger members. They will be ready to be let loose in the wild again in another four weeks time.”
To the naked eye, leverets are often mistaken for baby rabbits. They are similar in size and form, but leverets generally have longer ears.
In 2017, Secret World Wildlife Rescued cared for 174 hares and rabbits, including a number of leverets.
