Why The Rabbit Population Collapse?

[Truther 1,579]

I know its shooters round here, and disease don't explain the hares does it..................Idiots in both camps.............i don't like either sort.

[Accip74 7,112]

It's buzzards!................they don't just eat carrion you know, I learnt that on here ;-)

[MR RABBIT 715]

Over Gassing...will put a dampener on the population

[Chaff 3,622]

Look harder and travel further leave your locals for a season or two if you can, they will come back if left alone.

That seems to be the way down here.

Atb be lucky

[Somewhereyournot 1,117]

And some c**t will come behind u and wipe local out anyway mate lll

[budgie123 163]

I live east of leeds and there used to be a significant population of rabbits in the woods road side margins along railway bankings and there always had been.

 

I started to see a decline roughly 5 years ago which coincided with the first buzzards I had ever seen in the area living there all my life.

 

These buzzards have raised chicks successfully year on year.

 

The rabbits have disappered with buzzards seen in all the areas where i used to see the rabbits and I regularily put them up along the wood margins and railway bankings when walking the dogs.

 

There is also an area where there used to be hares but they have gone with buzzards regularily seen on a pylon in the middle of this land and a farmers pumping station.

 

As soon as a rabbit or two is seen anywhere buzzards appear and the rabbits disappear.

 

I just wonder how many rabbits a year a buzzard will kill.

 

I have never seen any dead rabbits indicating myxi.

 

This decline has also coincided with the woods in the area being thinned and buzzards hunt within the woods which I have witnessed putting one up of a young rabbit in the woods last summer.

 

Prior to being thinned buzzards would not have caught rabbits in the wood.

 

Driving about the number of buzzards seen nowadays is significant and a work colleague who is involved with the rspb ringing birds says he does not bother with them any more because the population is so high.

 

We also have redkites all over the area but people say they dont kill anything.

This is disputed and the racehorse trianer who writes an article in the yorkshire post says since they appeared over her land lapwings have never raise a chick.

 

I would like to see some figures for the estimated increase in buzzard numbers over the last 10 years.

[tb25 4,627]

Sound like a keeper .buzzards have no afet on rabbits at all..odd few but ..

[derekbrown 176]

I live east of leeds and there used to be a significant population of rabbits in the woods road side margins along railway bankings and there always had been.I started to see a decline roughly 5 years ago which coincided with the first buzzards I had ever seen in the area living there all my life.These buzzards have raised chicks successfully year on year.The rabbits have disappered with buzzards seen in all the areas where i used to see the rabbits and I regularily put them up along the wood margins and railway bankings when walking the dogs.There is also an area where there used to be hares but they have gone with buzzards regularily seen on a pylon in the middle of this land and a farmers pumping station.As soon as a rabbit or two is seen anywhere buzzards appear and the rabbits disappear.I just wonder how many rabbits a year a buzzard will kill.I have never seen any dead rabbits indicating myxi.This decline has also coincided with the woods in the area being thinned and buzzards hunt within the woods which I have witnessed putting one up of a young rabbit in the woods last summer.Prior to being thinned buzzards would not have caught rabbits in the wood.Driving about the number of buzzards seen nowadays is significant and a work colleague who is involved with the rspb ringing birds says he does not bother with them any more because the population is so high.We also have redkites all over the area but people say they dont kill anything.This is disputed and the racehorse trianer who writes an article in the yorkshire post says since they appeared over her land lapwings have never raise a chick.I would like to see some figures for the estimated increase in buzzard numbers over the last 10 years.

In the 80s there was rabbits everywhere here but no buzzards now buzzards are all over the place and rabbits getting more scarce every year.buzzards only arrived here about 15 years ago l think but are like magpies here now.

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I've researched RHD a little bit. I think it's got something to do with it.

[dytkos 17,802]

Its a combination of all the reasons that have been posted I would say

 

Cheers, D.

[Fly The Boy 339]

Mixy has been around since the 50s and people always got plenty of rabbits, now we have RVHD,I have caught plenty that had all the signs of the disease.............

[forest of dean redneck 11,636]

Ah VHD ,that was what was supposed to have wiped them out round here,about 2009/10 still no sign of any ,other side of town there's rabbits ,but not my side.

I think squirrel hunting like the Americans do is way forward,

 

I kept seeing RHD an all I was thinking about was rabbit hare deer. Lol

[FUJI 17,327]

Wouldn't mind finding an abundant population of RHD bunnies,might be able to smash the record for lamping bunnies!! Only fooking chance ive got ????

[Blackdog92 2,047]

I know its shooters round here, and disease don't explain the hares does it..................Idiots in both camps.............i don't like either sort.

Hares are vulnerable to liver fluke and that can kill a lot off if its a wet year.

[FUJI 17,327]

 

I know its shooters round here, and disease don't explain the hares does it..................Idiots in both camps.............i don't like either sort.

Hares are vulnerable to liver fluke and that can kill a lot off if its a wet year.

? Yep,very true buddy