Black Rabbit

[snake]

My daily jaunt takes me past a number of rabbit earths. One of them has a black rabbit in residence, he seems very nervous compared to his friends and always is the first to bolt down a rabbit hole.
Today he was much braver and I managed a quick piccy before he dashed off.
I am hoping he will soon realise that I am not a threat to him and I can then get some better pictures.

[ron1863]

Nice shot, we have several around my way - are they descendants of tame ones that have been released or escaped???

[Lance Morgan]

Wow! Do you think she is an escapee from a hutch or a melanistic wild rabbit

[Hedge Witch]

Interesting, snake.

I don't know how you find all these things!

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

Wow! Do you think she is an escapee from a hutch or a melanistic wild rabbit

Could be either - there are plenty of black rabbit genes in the wild population, since in medieval times, black rabbits were especially prized. But escaped or dumped pets are also very possible.

henrya

[Ida]

I remember walking through a valley in the Peak District, and nearly every rabbit I saw was black. Can't be more specific about the location though, as it was at least ten years ago - sorry!

Nice photo, Snake.

[Dutchess]

I can confirm that pet rabbits are sometimes released deliberately or have escaped of their own volition! We have wild black and pale fawn rabbits around the local garden centre....I suspect that's where ours originated anyway

Not that I endorse the practice, but I have heard of people releasing rabbits deliberately, especially those who are unsuitable as pets due to bad temperament. Apparently there was a successful colony of Tri-colour Dutch (like the one in my avatar) thriving and inter-breeding with the wild rabbits somewhere in Wales until myxi claimed them last year

D.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Interesting, snake.

I don't know how you find all these things!

He is either a quiet mover and a careful observer, or he moonlights as a taxidermist.

[tristanba]

there are a lot of black rabbits on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire - I don't recall them being shy

[Badger Watching Man]

Did anyone else watch Watership Down the other day? "When the black rabbit calls, you have to go with him..."

On a slightly more serious note, there used to be a grass verge on the dual carriageway outside St Albans that had a number of black and multi-coloured rabbits living on it. I used to watch them as I sat in traffic jams. They were obviously released domestics, but they seemed to be doing quite well.