The Iberian Hare was historically classified as a variety of the Cape Hare, Lepus capensis, under subspecies L. c. granatensis (Chapman and Flux 1990), but morphological analyses confirmed the validity of the specific status of the Iberian Hare, and the distinction from the Cape Hare (Palacios 1983). When compared to the other hare species inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula, the interspecific morphological differences also allow their distinction (Palacios 1983).

The Iberian Hare is endemic to Europe. It is common and locally abundant within its wide geographic range of the Iberian Peninsula and is reassessed as Least Concern. It is an important game species throughout much of its range. The current population trend in general is stable, or even increasing in northeastern Spain. However, populations in western Galicia, western Asturias, and north of the Ebro River are now considered rare, or in some localities extirpated (Schai-Braun and Hackländer 2016).

The Iberian Hare naturally occupies most of the Mediterranean region in Iberia, from the Mediterranean coast, south of the Ebro River to the Atlantic coast, and from the Andalucía coast to the northern mountains of León, Palencia, Burgos, and the southern slopes of Navarra and Huesca, where Broom and the European hares are also present (parapatric ranges; see Acevedo et al. 2012).

The species also occurs on the Balearic Islands (where it is now considered to be extinct; Mitchell-Jones et al. 1999) and in an isolated locality in southern France; the origin of the species in these areas is uncertain.

The current population trend of this species is considered to be stable. The population abundance of the Iberian Hare is widely variable in response to factors such as habitat quality, hunting pressure, natural predation, and diseases (Rodríguez et al. 1997, Gortázar et al. 2007, Lázaro et al. 2019). Available data on population density are scarce, old and mostly local, and results in diverse density estimates across regions, ranging from 1-37.4 hares per 100 ha (Alves et al. 2022).

The Iberian Hare occupies heterogeneous habitats in agroecosystems (Acevedo et al. 2012). In general, the species prefers open landscapes and areas with sparse scrubland, avoiding close woodlands. However, in northern Iberia, it appears in humid mountains areas with oceanic climate (annual precipitation 1,500–2,000 mm), meadows, pastures, agricultural fields (wheat, etc.), and deciduous forests (Palacios and Meijide 1979, Duarte 2000, Tapia et al. 2010).

The natural distribution range of the Iberian Hare remains stable in the last decades. Nevertheless, in some locations, it has been extirpated by humans, as mentioned for northwestern and central Portugal, namely near the Atlantic coast. There are threats from overhunting, poaching, climate change, agricultural chemicals, and loss of habitat. In the northern Iberian Peninsula, reforestation of old cultures and densification of open scrubland areas contributes to lower habitat suitability.

It is possible that new information on population trends might change this current Least Concern Red List status, due to the population decline observed in recent years, which has been dramatically accelerated by hare myxomatosis outbreaks since 2018 (García-Bocanegra et al. 2019, Alves et al. 2018, 2022).

Sarcoptic mange (Crusted scabies; Sarcoptes scabiei) has been detected in Iberian Hare subpopulations, traced to contact with infected wild European Rabbits (Cardells et al. 2021). An outbreak of myxomatosis (rabbit-associated myxoma virus, MYXV) or related virus was recorded in the Iberian Hare in 2018, with infection first thought to have occurred at least 20 years prior to 2018 (Abade Dos Santos et al. 2022). Hernández et al. (2022) found a nearly 63% reduction in Iberian Hare density in the Castilla y León region of norther Spain following first detection of myxomatosis over the winter of 2019-2020.

The Iberian Hare is an important small game species in Portugal and Spain. It represents an important social, cultural, and economic value for rural areas. The main hunting activities are done traditionally by shooting, but dog hare coursing is also very popular in some regions of Portugal and Spain. Hunting is only allowed in hunting estates, and the open season is between September and December (in some regions may go to the end of February). A limited number of animals are allowed per hunter. Translocations are common, namely for hare dog coursing, although they are not recommended by the national entities, and in several regions are not allowed (Alves et al. 2022).

The population dynamics of the Iberian Hare are poorly known, and there is no information on the body metabolism and hormone function of this species.

The species has recently been affected by a virus jump from the wild rabbit, and so far the consequences of the recent outbreaks caused by the myxoma virus are still not well known, though the observed population decline and extirpation of populations in some regions is a main concern for conservation of this endemic species. Hernández et al. (2022) propose that further monitoring surveys be undertaken, and that hunting controls should be informed by local counts of hare numbers.

The absence of management and conservation programs in Spain and Portugal for this species, associated with the fact that is an important game and simultaneously prey species, elevated the concern regarding its threatened status. Definitely, more attention should be given for preserving the natural populations of the Iberian Hare (Alves et al. 2022).