Rabbits divide opinion. I filmed this one at Pitstone Hill whilst listening for quail. It emerged from the bottom of a hedge not far from me and proceeded to graze intently for quite a while oblivious to my presence. To some they are vermin that destroy crops. For others they are a tasty source of game. They certainly have their destructive capabilities....I have seen the damage they have done in sand dunes such as those at Gibraltar Point. But they do also suppress the grass and maintain a fine sward, their nibbling allowing many flowers to flourish, an they are themselves a source of food for buzzards. As with so many of our 'native' wildlife, they are not indigenous at all but brought over by successive colonisers from mainland Europe, but they have certainly had a role to play in maintaining our landscape, especially ones like the South Downs. Oh, and they are quite cute. Sorry.
No comments:
Post a Comment