The brown hare is one of Britain’s most iconic and beloved wild animals, and used to be a common sight in fields. But these amazing creatures are becoming yet another species in danger of extinction - because around 300,000 of them are killed for sport every year.

Numbers of brown hares have plummeted from 4 million to just 800,000 within the last century. That’s why I’m calling for them to be urgently protected by law - before it’s too late.

Most hare are actually shot during breeding season - when female hares are already pregnant or nursing their young. I’ve spent 38 years campaigning against hunting because I believe it’s wrong to kill animals for sport - whether or not it’s breeding season.

These beautiful animals have minimal legal protection, but if we do not change this fast we risk driving them to extinction. We cannot be the generation that let’s this happen.

The government must stop people shooting the brown hares that we still have left. Please sign my petition calling for brown hares to be protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.