By Cara Sulieman
A MOUNTAIN hare found on a high street in the snow has been released back into the wild after being treated for concussion.
A concerned passer-by called the Scottish SPCA after finding the animal hopping along Lauder High Street in Berwickshire.
Confused and out of his natural habitat, the animal was sporting his white winter camouflage.
Ambulance driver Mairi Stewart, who picked him up, thought he might have been concussed and that might be why he was found on the busy road.
“Very quiet”
But after three weeks rest at the Scottish SPCA’s Wildlife Rescue Centre at Middlebank in Fife, the hare was released back into the wild on Thursday.
Wildlife Assistant Kyrstal Aitchison watched as he dashed out of his box onto a hill in Stirlingshire where a healthy population of mountain hare’s already live.
Centre Manager Colin Seddon said: “When the hare came in he was very quiet and seemed concussed, which might explain why he came to be found on a busy road. Otherwise he was perfectly healthy.
“We housed him in one of our mammal pens well away from any disturbance as hares are extremely nervous creatures and prone to injure themselves if panicked.
“He was checked once a day and fed on a variety of hay and grasses along with dried rabbit food.
“When we were happy that he was fully recovered and displaying normal behaviour he was released back to the wild where he belongs.”
Mountain hares are usually found in upland areas and on many of the Scottish islands.
