The Countryside Council of Wales has part-funded the survey

The once-common species has been in decline for decades, with the hare population thought to be as few as 800,000 across the UK.

Pembrokeshire, Montgomeryshire and Ceredigion are areas where little detailed data is available.

A survey form has now been produced by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales to map the hare population.

Brown hare numbers dropped by an estimated 75% when farming methods became more intensive following World War II.

The animals prefer a mixture of arable fields and pasture with hedges and ditches.

When the nights are shorter in late March, they can be seen in daylight hours.

"Many people I talk to in the three counties of the survey are familiar with hares, and a lot of people tell me that they see hares quite regularly," said wildlife trust officer Dr Lizzie Wilberforce.

"Unfortunately, official records do not reflect the distribution and abundance suggested by anecdotal evidence.

THE HARE FACTS The brown hare is much larger than a rabbit, with larger back legs and black tips to the ears They are often nocturnal in the winter and can breed three or four times a season Unlike rabbits they do not burrow but live in depressions in long grass called 'forms' If you see two hare 'boxing' it is usually a female fighting off an over-amorous male's attention

"We hope that this survey will allow us to map much more accurately the areas of the counties being used by the hares.

"This knowledge is essential before we can plan to undertake more targeted conservation work to help this wonderful species."

The survey has been organised with funding from the Countryside Council for Wales and the People's Trust for Endangered Species.