The Anonymous Widower

Rabbits

Cuddly!  Aren’t they?  No!  Delicious?  Yes!

There is a report that they do a lot of damage to crops.  As someone who keeps horses they are a nightmare, as what would happen if a horse at speed puts their foot in a rabbit hole and turns over.  They don’t do too much damage to my crops as I don’t really have any, but muntjak do eat all my young trees.

The report says that nunbers are increasing and blames the government for removing rules that allow you to complain about your neighbours, who don’t keep rabbits down.  And as those neighbours are often nebulous government agencies like highways or large corporations like the railways, it is not easy to complain without a big stick.

That may be the case in some areas, but I’m in the middle of nowhere and all then rabbits round here are either mine or my neighbours.

Rabbit numbers are increasing, but they really haven’t got to pest levels yet.  But as they say rabbits breed like well – rabbits!

Could though one of the causes of the increase in rabbits be the ban on hunting?

But you say that you didn’t hunt rabbits with hounds!  No, but you hunted foxes and whereas before the hunting ban, you saw lots of foxes round here, now they are very rare indeed.  I don’t even smell them like I used to in the gateways, where they marked their territories.

So it’s not rocket science to see that if you have less foxes, you might well have more rabbits.

But why are the foxes declining?  The only reason I can think, is that whereas some years ago, if they saw a fox, farmers and gamekeepers would leave him for the hunt, now they make sure he doesn’t get away.

Obviously, it needs a proper study, than just my personal observations.

Another reason for the increase is that years ago, country kids often used to go rabbiting, bring them home and skin them for the pot.  I don’t know whether it’s still legal, but parents don’t let their fourteen-year-olds take out the 4-10 these days!

And talking of the pot!  Rabbits are delicious and good for you!

So let’s make the farmers problem, someone else’s opportunity.  We just need to buy them in the butchers or the supermarket.  I’ll get some today in Waitrose for supper tonight.

August 13, 2009 - Posted by AnonW | Food, World | Animals, Rabbits