I dunno Dave , its pretty Fucking cold in Central and the little cnuts do alright there . I think myxo kills hares too .... not sure
I see on the rabbit distribution map that they aren't to be found in Italy either - not too chilly there. In fact, I'm not sure how many there are in France. Bits of France and Northern France in particular there are plenty, but I find it strange that they wouldn't just run over the Jura into Switzerland, unless there already aren't many in the Jura. The Jura isn't very high - it's hardly the Alps. I doubt it's myxomatosis, seeing as that hasn't eradicated rabbits from Australia. Strange - just one of those things. Remind me to ask a rabbit specialist.
I have found this, though I suspect it is very old: "Following the ravages of myxomatosis in wild rabbits between 1952 and 1970, andalso changes in farming practices and the environment, the distribution of wild rabbits has undergone profound changes. In fact, the rabbit is no longer distributed throughout France, but is found in "pockets" separated by empty zones varying in size. Rabbits are present on no more than 40% of sites in two-thirds of the Departments of France. They are distributed evenly throughout Brittany, which has the highest densities (2), but occur in only 10% of sites in eastern Departments (1)."
dear oh dear... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ! rabbits are for stew.. a Hare is for the filet... matured and then with a light mustard sauce... "rable de Lièvre" as the french say...
Myxo initially levelled the rabbits .... but they develop immunity and eventually bounce back . We had RCD here which is a haemorrhagic disease .The problem was that rather than wait for an organised assault on the Wiley rabbit some dumb arse farmers took it upon themselves to release the disease .... with exactly the results you would expect from a hysterical disorganised rabble. some of the silly cnuts were even dosing carrots with dead RCD virus cells .................... excuse me but isn't this how you would vaccinate something to protect it from said virus ( small pox springs to mind .... flu ...and so on ). So the best tool /opportunity was waisted .. the rabbits were given the chance to become immune , and that they are doing with their usual competence . If the dickheads had got organised ( instead of each self proclaimed hero/expert just tipping a bit out any old where ) the rabbits would not have had the opportunity to cop a less than lethal dose , hop to the next ( un dosed ) farm and continue breeding now immune offspring . When the RCD hit our place the rabbits disappeared literally overnight . I went from a guaranteed 8-10 rabbits per evening hunt to being lucky to even see one , but 6 months later they were back , they were a bit sporadic for a year or so but things are pretty much back to normal . We don't have a lot here in Nelson but they are driving my poor old Dad nuts in Wanaka , eating his garden faster than it can grow and digging BF holes under the ( not so ) rabbit proof fencing:smile:
