Sabs disrupt a hare shoot on Banham Zoo’s land

A joint effort by sabs from Norwich Hunt Saboteurs (NHS), South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs (SNHS) and Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs (NSHS) was able to drastically limit the numbers killed in a hare shoot at Banham Zoo on 15 February. Meanwhile, the Zoological Society of East Anglia and Banham Zoo have confirmed that they did not give permission for shooting to take place on their land.

The hunting of hares with dogs is illegal under the Hunting Act 2004 and legislation in 2022 made it easier for authorities to prosecute hare coursers and hunters. However, hare shooting is unfortunately still lawful in the UK, although the 80% decline in numbers of hares has led to calls for a ban on hare shooting during their February to September breeding season.

Brown hares (Lepus Europaeus) were introduced to Britain by the Romans. The drastic decrease in the number of hares since the 19th century led to the hare being listed as a priority species in the 1994 UK Biodiversity Action Plan, but sadly this didn’t lead to many legal protections for hares. The Born Free Foundation points out that a staggering “300,000 or more hares are shot each year on farmland and shooting estates, in the name of sport.”

“Countless lives were saved”

On 15 February, despite this lack of legal protection, the direct action of the three sab groups managed to keep “the numbers [of hares] killed to a minimum”. 

For much of the day the sabs were able to stop the killing altogether. However, the shooters began to lose their patience as the day drew to a close. According to NHS they “began recklessly firing shots at hares despite proximity with sabs.” 

SNHS released this video of the sabs brave attempts to prevent the killing:

Many of the hares weren’t killed cleanly, and were left “with wounds still writhing in the field.”

Despite this, according to Norwich sabs:

“Thanks to the actions of just a handful of sabs from across Norfolk, countless lives were saved. It’s not unusual for a shoot such as this to number kill into the hundreds for one day. Despite their best efforts at intimidation, and then even firing within spitting distance of sabs, we stood our ground”

Protect the Wild asked NSHS how successful the sabbing of the hare shoot had been. They replied:

“We can’t call the day a complete success because around 50 Hares were killed. However, what we know is that around 40 of those were killed on the one or two draws prior to our arrival. In the next two draws where sabs were on the field using their bodies to shield the Hares, none were killed. In the final draw the shooters resorted to firing so dangerously close to sabs in all directions they managed to shoot 10. These numbers demonstrate the impact sabs being present can make and saving just one life is a huge success.”

Norwich sabs published these graphic pictures of the many hares who did lose their lives.

Tip off your local sabs

Several of the sab groups emphasised the importance of tip offs from members of the public. NSHS told Protect the Wild that tip offs are “often how we learn of these shoots as local people find themselves confronted with the harrowing screams of wounded Hares. People feel helpless so turn to their local sab groups.”

“Just as cruel” as hunting with dogs

Hare shoots like the one in Banham are cruel, just like other forms of hunting. According to NSHS:

“Running terrified for your life and dying slowly and painfully at the hands of a gunman is just as cruel as in the jaws of a Hound. We simply must do more to protect our beloved Brown Hare from persecution in all its forms.“

In Scotland, the government has already moved to protect some hares. In 2020, the Scottish government in Holyrood made it a crime to intentionally or recklessly kill or injure Scotland’s mountain hares without a license. Wildlife Protection charities are campaigning for similar protection for endangered mountain hares in the north of England too.

However, its not just mountain hares that need protection. We need to protect all hares from cruel hare shoots like the one at Banham, considering the dramatic drop in the number of hares in the UK over the last century.

The government needs to act to protect hares and impose a ban on hare shooting, at the very least during their breeding season. Until then, all we’ve got is direct action to prevent this cruel spot. But the hunt sabs success in saving lives on 15 February shows that our actions can save lives. Direct action can often be very effective when legal protection is lacking.

And if you hear about a hare shoot being organised in your area, don’t forget to tip off your local sab group.

• Read the Born Free Foundation’s call for a ban on hare shooting during breeding season.
• Check out Protect the Wild’s factfile on the brown hare.
• Support Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs’ fuel and equipment fund here.
• You can donate to Norwich Hunt Saboteurs here or South Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs here.