Yes, it is the feral rabbit population at UVic about which I speak. They’ve been in the news quite a bit of late following the announcement in late June of a cull, er, “Rabbit Management Plan” (“About time!” I thought).
My coworkers are, as you might expect, split on the subject. Some of them continue to feed the rabbits despite pleas from the administration not to do so. (Among the reasons for not feeding the rabbits is the growing rat population that is feeding on the salad scraps the rabbits don’t eat. Believe me, I have seen some of these rats in daylight scurrying about — every time it elevates my adrenaline to unhealthy levels.) Other coworkers sit on the far opposite side, suggesting (as was suggested rather famously in a student publication (scroll to page 3)) that the rabbits be collected for food in order to save the delicate ecosystem of native plants on campus, or that they be used in stew for the growing homeless population.
Me? I just want to see their numbers reduced. I’ve grown used to seeing their little faces, but like squirrels, raccoons and crows, they creep me out when they gather in large numbers.
Flash forward to July 30th when an injunction was brought forward by Roslyn Cassels (of Action for UVic Rabbits) against the University to halt the cull. Elmer Fudd was understandably annoyed but the move did allow a Texas Rabbit Refuge to lay claim to a thousand of the critters (really? Texas? What’s the carbon footprint on that move?) plus three other sanctuaries in BC have been approved.
Today, the BC Supreme Court has struck down the injunction and trapping is expected to resume this week. Thanks to the delay and the approval of the sanctuaries above, it is unlikely that any of the rabbits trapped will be euthanized.
And the moral of the story? Please PLEASE do not dump pet rabbits. It’s not good for the rabbits or for the land. Saanich is considering a ban on the sale of rabbits as pets — I sincerely hope the other CRD municipalities follow suit.
I really do not feel that we have seen the last of the lagomorphs – they won’t trap all of them and people will keep dropping them off.
Right on the points about rats – I have seen rats so big lately that they could easily be packing their own lunch boxes for leftovers.
Bottom line – where humans are concerned, there is no fix for stupid.
Someone was telling me that for the hundreds of rabbits trapped to neuter (remember that wonderful plan?) almost all of them were actually already taken care of. What they have concluded is that although rabbits do breed like…. well, rabbits, much of the problem STILL stems from dropping off pets. This floors me.
As a result, I personally think the ban on the sale of rabbits as pets will do more than any of the other efforts combined.
Someone filed an *injunction* against the cull? What a waste of everyone’s time and money! How could you possibly show irreparable harm? Although I see that it was ultimately set aside on the basis of standing.