new to the flock Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 I was driving along today and got to wondering why it is that England has such a healthy rabbit population, while ours is sustainable. We do not have the numbers here that you do. Now I know we have a few more predators than you do with coyotes and skunks,raccoons and opposoms, as well as the avian predators. But I do not see that being enough to sway the balance. We both also have abundant food sources and climate is very simalar. Our rabbits also cycle roughly every 7 years with a population crash, and then numbers building back up. First off I am wondering our we dealing with the same species of rabbit? As there are 8 subspecies of rabbits in North America the species that we have is the Eastern Cottentail..... Sylvilagus floridanus. We also have 5 species of hares two of which are common here the European Hare ..... Lepus europaeus and the Snow shoe Hare......... Lepus americanus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Dan forget the Latin and sub species, the English rabbits is randier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 same as the usa the farm we go to not many rabbits at all,i never saw more than 10 rabbits all the time we have been there.we see a rabbit every monning when we get up but i could not shoot it i could walk up to it at night.and they have 11 farms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 In the UK we have,Oryctolagus cuniculus,which came from Iberia via Romans/Normans.......whatever and is a hardy little "person" able to live through sub desert to near alpine conditions. However it`s only true foe is mixy and even that is getting less and less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Dan forget the Latin and sub species, the English rabbits is randier Oh, I dunno. Lepus Rabbitus Go-atit-likea-bunnyus sounds rather good. And like Henry d says the Oryctolagus cunnilingus was featured in History lessons when I was at skool but only orally Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted July 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Henry, It has to be the differant make up of the breeds. About the only real differance I can think of between the two is our cotton tail is quite comfortable living above ground in brush piles logs etc. Now that said they will also burrow but our warrens are far less extensive than you would have. Having hunted both I find it very interesting as in appearance and general behaviour they are very similar. Want to slip a couple of breeding pair into an envelope and post them over for me please? I would like to see if they can populate well over here as well. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Henry, It has to be the differant make up of the breeds. About the only real differance I can think of between the two is our cotton tail is quite comfortable living above ground in brush piles logs etc. Now that said they will also burrow but our warrens are far less extensive than you would have. Having hunted both I find it very interesting as in appearance and general behaviour they are very similar. Want to slip a couple of breeding pair into an envelope and post them over for me please? I would like to see if they can populate well over here as well. NTTF Consider it done Dan LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 What about the winter weather being a factor? I guess it depends where you are but I would assume that the winter is much more severe in Canada than over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted July 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Where I am located the weather is identical to the Cetral and south of England. NTTF LB Thanks Mate Be sure to put that DO NOT FLATTEN sticker on there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Where I am located the weather is identical to the Cetral and south of England. NTTF LB Thanks Mate Be sure to put that DO NOT FLATTEN sticker on there.... I will mark it as a 'birthday present' Dan LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchap Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 the reason we have so many rabbits is because theres no one with any decent lurchers p.s why send a boy to do a man`s job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the last engineer Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 the reason we have so many rabbits is because theres no one with any decent lurchers p.s why send a boy to do a man`s job i thought it was cause some of you guys cant shoot straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 the reason we have so many rabbits is because theres no one with any decent lurchers p.s why send a boy to do a man`s job i thought it was cause some of you guys cant shoot straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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