Black Rabbits

[andyf 144]

I am in South Devon to the East of Plymouth.

We have an embedded population of totally Black wild Rabbits, these are random and live within the general 'Brown' versions most of us are used to.

The typical is that all of them are Doe's (no Bucks at all), and they are totally black, no white belly fur, and for whatever reason they are almost always slightly smaller than the general population?

They usually appear in clusters i.e. within a field or so around a particular bury, I understand this particular feature is 'Mellanistic' and is equally and opposite the White version or 'Albino', but do you have a similar situation in your area?

Last week I was Salmon fishing in Southern Ireland and noticed the same amongst the rabbits over there, in fact there was a 'stuffed' one set up in a pub we visited, which I was informed was a 'rare' one??

Any input would appreciated.

AndyF

[woz 260]

weve got pure black rabbits up our way and the odd white not albino's....i was on some ground with some other lads when they shot this wild rabbit..i personally would of left it to breed up so there was somthing different..the lads i was with said a rabbits a rabbit and they were there to do a job..pest control...

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2009 by woz

[Geoff.C 0]

Hi Andy, the "Black rabbit" question has been asked before on here. If you have a trawl you may find the posts. Clusters of blacks seem to be reasonably common, I have them on my permission just outside Derby, and there is a colony about 2 miles away from it, that live on a bridge with a big verge on one side, over the A38!

As you say, they live alongside normal brown rabbits, and I agree they are usually slightly smaller, although I have a couple of big un's that I can't get near. I can't say if they are all does though, so will now take particular notice when I have one.

[The one 8,479]

Weve got black rabbits running about or street the bin men ect often ask if anybodies lost a pet rabbit , i think maybe somebody did a while ago as these now live under sheds etc rather than in burrows

[Martin 65 0]

I am in South Devon to the East of Plymouth.

We have an embedded population of totally Black wild Rabbits, these are random and live within the general 'Brown' versions most of us are used to.

The typical is that all of them are Doe's (no Bucks at all), and they are totally black, no white belly fur, and for whatever reason they are almost always slightly smaller than the general population?

They usually appear in clusters i.e. within a field or so around a particular bury, I understand this particular feature is 'Mellanistic' and is equally and opposite the White version or 'Albino', but do you have a similar situation in your area?

Last week I was Salmon fishing in Southern Ireland and noticed the same amongst the rabbits over there, in fact there was a 'stuffed' one set up in a pub we visited, which I was informed was a 'rare' one??

Any input would appreciated.

AndyF

 

Hi Andy i lamp ground 5 milles from plymouth,we have clusters of black at one farm and a cluster of albinos at another i think it is common in some places

[Deker 3,478]

I've seen the black ones on 2 of my sites but none for a couple of years, not seen a white one (yet)

[langouroux 14]

very common in north cornwall mate.

[arveyboy 0]

i havnt got a picture at the moment but about a year ago i shot a rabbit that was almost red. never even seen one before or after then

[justin 2]

weve seen one or two blacks down this way, never seen a white though.......

[RicW 67]

 

Yes well, I could explain the genetic mechanisms involved but the maths gets a bit heavy. You are dead right about Melanism/Albinism. Clusters of variant organisms are to be expected. Nothing weird going on so just shoot 'em as per normal! The black ones make nice gloves.

RicW

[archiekale 427]

shot plenty of black ones then had three whiteish ones on same night

[Tiny 7 1,694]

Common in Northant's,

 

Aswel as whites and sandy's....

[moses 5]

There seems to be an abundance of black rabbits in plymouth by the sounds of it i shot on the very edge of the city and there are plenty of black ones there

[Penda 3,341]

Not far from me on this 1 pitch there is alot of black rabbits ive even saw a thew ginger ones i think its down to in breeding in sum areas there rabbits not far from me that are born with no ears

[vimto 0]

Very common in a certain part of South Staffordshire..

Here`s the late Bazza with one live to hand, as he always did..