Gentlemen, as a professional biologist for 35 plus years, I most respectfully beg to differ. Hare coursing is pursuing an animal well beyond its tolerance limits with sustained physical effort. This was too, you only have to listen to the engine noise to realise how fast the vehicle was going. It also took place on a substrate unnatural to the hare, tarmac, adding unspecifiable discomfort to the animal.
I would be the first one to admit I found the first 50-100 yards of pursuit funny; the idea of 'such a goofy ejit animal' is funny. Reality kicks in when the driver and his companions prolong the hare's disorientation by not stopping and shooing the beast off the road. It is obviously in that state of panic induced in many wild animals by bright lights at night. Given their retinas are so much more sensitive then ours and hares have "wrap round vision" i.e. can see behind them, this animal's vision consisted of nothing but the headlights, apparently on full beam.
I have no idea why it chose not to exit left onto the grass at one point, when it was safely there, I can only presume it was severely stressed and not making sense inside its own head.
We can make an estimate of the distance the hare was harried from counting the white bars in the road. It is considerable. Not choosing to stop and deal with the hare more humanely is, in my book, intentional. And, did they really run it over at the end?
I am sorry, the early footage is funny, while the hare is initially trying to escape from the van; beyond maybe 30-40 seconds of footage, it is not. Call me a softie if you wish, I am merely exercising a knowledge of nerves and animal behaviour learned many years ago and trying to express a different interpretation. I suppose what I am trying to say is: "do you not realise...?"
Sam, B.Sc. and former M.I.Biol, C.I.Biol.
