The hares of Dresden? (German, house, English, hotel) - Europe - City-Data Forum

640TAG · 12-17-2015, 03:42 AM

I've been meaning to ask this for some time. And no, I have not gone mad.

I was in Dresden with 3 friends in the early summer. We'd been out for dinner, had quite a bit to drink, and were strolling back to the hotel (central) late evening when a huge (and I mean - MASSIVE!) hare ("hase") ran across the square, right in front of us, and down the main road.

http://retrieverman.files.wordpress....irish-hare.jpg

I've never actually seen one up close before, and didn't realise they were so large. Had it just have been me who saw it, I would be prepared to believe I was dreaming. Had we been in an Amsterdam coffee shop, I would be prepared to believe anything. We did, however, all see it, and immediately said to each other "WTF? Did you see that?!!"

Is this a common sight in Dresden? We have foxes everywhere in London (even Oxford Circus), so perhaps hares are the species who have taken over the German city?

I've seen foxes in London before but, never in Oxford Circus! - Imgur

Ariete · 12-17-2015, 03:58 AM

What do you by 'massive'? Hares are quite a common sight in our cities too, and yes, they can get quite big.

640TAG · 12-17-2015, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ariete

What do you by 'massive'? Hares are quite a common sight in our cities too, and yes, they can get quite big.

Well, probably about a metre tall, though, needless to say, it was going at a heck of a speed. I thought they were the same size as a rabbit.

So - "urban hares" are a thing then.

Not here!

Ariete · 12-17-2015, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 640TAG

Well, probably about a metre tall, though, needless to say, it was going at a heck of a speed. I thought they were the same size as a rabbit.

So - "urban hares" are a thing then.

Not here!

Hares are much larger than normal house rabbits. 1 metre is probably a stretch, but 75 cm I can believe. And yes, they can run up to 70 km/h.

Widely found in cities in Northern and Central continental Europe.

640TAG · 12-17-2015, 06:24 AM

Well, there is an old fashioned English dish called "Jugged Hare", but very rarely seen these days.

cattledog69 · 12-17-2015, 01:54 PM

This is what Wiki says; head + body length up to 75 cm, so including the ears, maybe a metre?

I only once see two of them together sitting in a field when I was camping. I too was struck by how massive they were. Like a mid size dog.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hare