Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash

These are the three adorable baby hares rescued from a field being worked on by farm workers who had already accidentally ground up and killed one of their siblings.

The incident took place in Haringsee, a town in the district of Ganserndorf in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, about 40 kilometres (24.8 miles) outside the capital Vienna when the field was being cleared by workers.

The process involved scooping up vegetation including twigs and branches that were ground into mulch so the area could be farmed.

But sadly, a fourth baby that was accidentally picked up and thrown into the mulcher did not survive and was shredded to death. It is unclear what happened to the mother, with Austrian newspaper Heute saying she could not be found.

As a result, the little baby hares were taken to an animal shelter in Haringsee where they are being cared for until they are strong enough to be released back into the wild.

Animal expert Brigitte Kopetzky is quoted in local media outlets Heute and ORF as saying: “The three babies are doing very well. They are now being fed by a nurse with milk and are subjected to as little human contact as possible. As soon as they are big enough, they will then be released into the wild.”

Brown hare mothers can give birth to babies several times a year. Kopetzky warns that baby rabbits or hares that are found on their own should not be taken. She said: “The mother will definitely continue to take care of them.”