We live in south Warwickshire and in the past few years I have seen
very few rabbits. They used to be very common on the verges but this
year so far I have only seen three. Has anyone else notices a decline?
Is it Myxomatosis coming back?

Jonathan

On Sun, 2 Jun 2013 10:07:48 -0700 (PDT), Jonathan wrote:

We live in south Warwickshire and in the past few years I have seen
very few rabbits. They used to be very common on the verges but this
year so far I have only seen three. Has anyone else notices a decline?

Since the winters of 09/10 and 10/11 the rabbit population up here
has taken quite a hit but they are making a come back now. Those two
winters were bad the rabbits were eating anything they could. Many of
our trees were ring barked 12" above the ground (depth of snow) for
12 to 18". Surprisingly this has killed the trees, the grown above
the ring barking isn't a vigourous as it should be but is still
happening, along with lots of shoots from below the ring barking.

Is it Myxomatosis coming back?

Might be, mxyi rabbits end up blind and very lethargic, if one doen't
run away as you approach it's mxyi.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Jonathan" wrote

We live in south Warwickshire and in the past few years I have seen
very few rabbits. They used to be very common on the verges but this
year so far I have only seen three. Has anyone else notices a decline?
Is it Myxomatosis coming back?


I don't think it ever went away.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Rabbit populations go in cycles because the myx spreads more virulently when the population density gets above a certain level. A similar effect can be seen in grouse populations with a (natural) parasite affecting those. Then there are food availability issues as mentioned above. There are indeed very few rabbits to be had at the moment, as a friend of mine who shoots them to eat has noted, he got none at all last year.

Rabbits used to be very common (and native) in Spain, and the myx has made them permanently rare, which is a contributor to why the Iberian lynx has become so very rare, being a rabbit specialist. I'm not sure why it has been a permanent population suppressant in Spain when it runs in cycles in Britain.

"echinosum" wrote ...


Bob Hobden; Wrote:
"Jonathan" wrote -
Is it Myxomatosis coming back?

-
I don't think it ever went away.

Rabbit populations go in cycles because the myx spreads more virulently
when the population density gets above a certain level. A similar effect
can be seen in grouse populations with a (natural) parasite affecting
those. Then there are food availability issues as mentioned above.
There are indeed very few rabbits to be had at the moment, as a friend
of mine who shoots them to eat has noted, he got none at all last year.

Rabbits used to be very common (and native) in Spain, and the myx has
made them permanently rare, which is a contributor to why the Iberian
lynx has become so very rare, being a rabbit specialist. I'm not sure
why it has been a permanent population suppressant in Spain when it runs
in cycles in Britain.


It is very noticeable that there are a lot of rabbits to be seen around here
on the grass verges even during daylight, often getting squished if they get
it wrong.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Jonathan wrote in news:2ce5c282-2a1f-4247-929c-
:

We live in south Warwickshire and in the past few years I have seen
very few rabbits. They used to be very common on the verges but this
year so far I have only seen three. Has anyone else notices a decline?
Is it Myxomatosis coming back?

Jonathan

Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I saw a wild rabbit.
A few years ago it was common to see them, and hedgehogs either scurrying
across the road or squashed.
I go fishing at least once a week in some remote places and even there I
can't remember seeing one.
They used to be a pest at the allotment sites, I am told. Not anymore.

Baz

On 03/06/2013 11:35, Baz wrote:
Jonathan wrote in news:2ce5c282-2a1f-4247-929c-
:

We live in south Warwickshire and in the past few years I have seen
very few rabbits. They used to be very common on the verges but this
year so far I have only seen three. Has anyone else notices a decline?
Is it Myxomatosis coming back?

Jonathan

Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I saw a wild rabbit.
A few years ago it was common to see them, and hedgehogs either scurrying
across the road or squashed.
I go fishing at least once a week in some remote places and even there I
can't remember seeing one.
They used to be a pest at the allotment sites, I am told. Not anymore.

Baz

I am delighted to say that their number seem to have declined
dramatically here. Not seen any with Mixy, so maybe it has been our
awful weather recently.