The Canmore Bunny Cull

[Catherine]

Canmore Alberta has a problem with rabbits. Years ago pet rabbits were released and they have multiplied. They may be cute, but they do damage and attract large predators. The town has argued back and forth, but finally decided on a rabbit cull.

It has been expensive and it hasn't worked.


https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018...-cull.html

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/alberta-to...-1.4015879

It is clear the cull isn't working. The number of rabbits increases to replace the ones that have been killed. It is not fair to the rabbits to kill them. They didn't ask to be where they are. Maybe they should look to the programs used to deal with feral cats.
Neutered bunnies would use up resources, but they wouldn't create more bunnies. When the cull the animals more babies survive because there is room for more rabbits.

Whatever the city chooses to do they need to consider what is the humane thing to do and they need to consider the use of city resources. At $300.00 a bunny they could probably provided sheltered areas for the rabbits and vaccinate and neuter them.

If they keep on they way they are, the city will end up with money trouble and a nasty reputation as rabbit killers.

[Tobi]

Poor Bunnies! You're right -it wasn't their fault they were abandoned in the wild.
I can imagine a "rabbit cull" won't work. Rabbits can reproduce faster than they can be killed. It's exactly because they are easy prey that they have evolved to reproduce at that rate.
Meanwhile innocent animals are being killed. That is not a very humane or compassionate response.

[Catherine]

They could have made the humane choice and organized a giant rabbit rescue. The money they have spent would have fed a bunny for life. They could have gathered them all up and looked after them and tried to rehome them. If they were too wild then they could have been humanely housed. Rabbits don't live that long. 

If they made a humane choice they would have had volunteers ready to help catch and care for the bunnies. Instead they have a large bill and even more bunnies than when they started.

[Libby]

We have a similar problem here with Deer. It's not they we have a ton either it's just the normal size herd like the area as much as we do. Last I heard they were just enacting a no feeding law with a $50 fine. Big whoop. They talked about allow hunters in but it's an urban area with too many risks to the public so I think the fine it all they can do. There was lots of outrage when the hunting thing was brought up too.

[Catherine]

We need to learn to share the planet with other species. I know deer can be destructive just like the rabbits, but aggressively killing them isn't much of an answer. I would be thrilled to see deer around. In fact there were deer around where I grew up. They wintered on a golf course in the area. Back then they were just part of life. I never heard of anyone wanting to kill them.

They could have rescued the abandoned rabbits when there were just a few of them. They only want to do something now because the rabbits attract predators. At no point are they acting for the good of the rabbits.

[Catslave]

Typical human response can't figure it out kill it,it's about time we learnt to do things differently.

[Catherine]

You would think we would learn. We try a stupid idea and it fails. Why would we keep trying it over and over again. We already know it doesn't work.