Francene - Views on news
  • BLOG
  • About
  • Contact

Rabbits aren't just for Easter either.

4/5/2015

11 Comments

 
Hare
Rabbit
Somehow, rabbits have become part of the Easter tradition in chocolate confectionery. I'm sure every alert child wonders why a rabbit would deliver an egg, seeing as they don't lay them but raise their young below ground.

Children know a male rabbit is called a buck. A female, or doe, produces baby rabbits called kits, short for kitten, after a gestation period of around 31 days. The doe can give birth up to 12-13 kits.

With Spring in the air, UK biologists are calling on the public to report sightings of rabbits and hares as part of a conservation effort. The furry animals are easier to spot when vegetation is low and the breeding season is under way. Round in shape, rabbits hop. The more streamlined, angular hares with pointed ears topped with black, lollop.

The mammal Society reports that hares may be declining in parts of the UK, while rabbits have been hit by myxomatosis and other viral diseases.

Early settlers of wealth and privilege took rabbits over to Australia and let them loose, hoping to create a familiar countryside in which to hunt. But without predators in the new land, rabbits bred unhindered. I'm sure many a convict snagged one for their pot. Once rabbit burrows became a major problem in the light, dry soil, the authorities used airborne mosquitoes to spread myxomatosis as a measure to wipe them out, which was not wholly successful and caused terrible misery to the animals.

In England, natural measures like foxes or birds of prey keep populations level. They are part of the ecosystem and lots of other animals depend on them, either through grazing of their habitat.

Because of a lack of information on the animals, ordinary people are being asked to send in photographs of rabbits and hares to help map the UK population.

Picture
I live in Elstree opposite a field owned by Lord Aldemham where giant oaks grow unhindered. I rarely see the horses and ponies that graze the land, the area is so big. But I have spotted both rabbits and hares hiding in the tall grass over the years. I delight in knowing some land is still unfarmed. Mother Earth and the environment are untouched.

Lord Aldenham has refused to allow archaeologists to dig for early English or Roman finds. He protects his land with a warden, who wouldn't let my friend and I walk across his land to reach the lake one day. The Lord is probably hunting pheasants right now along with rabbits for his pot.

As part of the estate, the Common was a parcel of land given to the church by King Offa. King of Mercia, a warrior tribe in a central kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, from 757. Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald. He took over many other kingdoms, consolidating his position by marrying his daughters to the kings of Wessex and Northumbria. He became the first ruler to be called 'king of the English'. Don't you just love history? Women were chattels to be used by men.

As far as I know, males and female rabbits and hares have clear roles with equal importance.

Do any rabbits or hares live close to you?


11 Comments
Ajay Pai link
4/4/2015 08:12:53 pm

None in my neighborhood. However, my Christian friends do tell me that the meat of rabbit is very tasty.

Am a vegie though. :)

Reply
Janelle link
4/4/2015 08:41:39 pm

There are some rabbits near where I live. They are so cute and make great pets. I have considered getting one as a pet.

Reply
Nick #thisyearinmusic link
4/4/2015 08:58:21 pm

So why are rabbits and eggs used at Easter?

Reply
lata link
4/4/2015 09:14:29 pm

I was charmed by your writing. Love the description of the giant oaks and Mother Earth being untouched. Also your dig at the Lord what's his name. I have been to England and was charmed then as well. Particularly by the Lake District

Reply
Carol Cassara link
4/4/2015 09:31:26 pm

I love that this was part history, part snark, part inspirational (yes) and ecological. Your take is always one-off and I love that, too.

Reply
Laurel Regan link
4/5/2015 02:46:58 am

I haven't seen any rabbits where we live now, but back when I lived in Victoria, BC I saw plenty. There was actually a problem with rabbits overrunning the university and hospital campuses!

Reply
Anmol Rawat link
4/5/2015 03:23:39 am

I'm not a veg person but have never tasted rabbit; maybe will never. I find them cute :)

Reply
Dr. Judy G link
4/5/2015 03:29:31 am

My knowledge of hares and rabbits is quite limited to fables and fairy tales, so I found your post, as always, quite informative. Thank you, dear Francene. Love the bit about your neighbor ... the Lord.

What I find amazing is your example how the first settlers in Australia changed the eco-system and the natural habitat by bringing over rabbits for their hunting. They did the same in Tasmania - when they brought foxes over.

HUGS <3

Reply
Shonda link
4/5/2015 11:58:31 am

We are inundated with rabbits in my area. They are everywhere. Some do not even move out of the way anymore on the sidewalks. Thank you for digging into the history of rabbits. Your post was quite informative.

Reply
Alana link
4/5/2015 12:14:18 pm

I see rabbits sometimes when walking on our local rail trail (a trail formerly railroad tracks). They are no friends of mine in our garden, either! (Enjoyed your little dig at your local Lord, too.)

Reply
K.Lee Banks link
4/5/2015 01:41:24 pm

Thanks for sharing - interesting as always, Francene! :-) Yes, we have rabbits around here. My kids, when they were younger, even had rabbits for pets.

I'm not really sure how/why rabbits and eggs became connected as part of the Easter celebration!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Francene Stanley
    From England, I use news items in my novels which you can see below, all linked to an Amazon near you.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories
    news
    earth
    sea
    space
    environment
    people
    animals
    fish
    birds 

    experience 
    writing
    novels

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.