Dead rabbits placed in trees

[SheffieldLass]

I went for a walk today, along a disused railway line public footpath which has a very large badger sett, lots of rabbit holes, signs of a bird of prey (piles of plucked feathers). Quite macabre were dead (mainly young) rabbits placed in bushes and trees, by human hand it would appear. A practice that had been done for a while, judging by the number of skeletons around. This is big pheasant rearing country.

My first thought is that these had been put there (poisoned) for birds of prey and crows etc to feed on. Which I presume is illegal. Though some would have been low enough to be got by foxes. Any ideas on what was going on here, and should it be reported?

[Jaeviatrix]

If you think they're poisoned baits, surely a plan would be to grab some rubber gloves stick some gardening gloves over the top, take a few pictures and get them down so they can't harm anything? Then send the pictures to the police, assuming it is a human hand doing it, they're a fairly sick puppy pheasant rearing or otherwise, and someone should have a chat with them!

[salukiwhippet]

Doesn't sound like poisoning to me. Someone would have to be pretty dense to try to poison raptors at all, but to do it on a footpath would be lunacy! Someone trying to feed carrion eaters maybe? Or kids messing about? Bit of a mystery!

James

[Jaeviatrix]

Kids messing about by killing baby rabbits and sticking them on trees, and continuing to do so over a period of time probably need someone to have a chat with them!

Some creepy kids!

[salukiwhippet]

Kids are creepy! I can't think of a non-creepy explanation though. Several mini tornadoes? A really small escaped leopard? A proper huge shrike? Tis a puzzler!

Is there any damage on the bunnies?

James

[SheffieldLass]

I can't work this one out ... you'd think that either putting food out for a bird of prey, whether to help it or to poison it would be done in an out-of-the way place. Though if it is poisoning and done on land where the public has access then it would be easy to say 'not me .. it could be anyone, the public has access'.

I did wonder Great Grey Shrike, which has been in the wider area, but I'm pretty sure the rabbits are too big and they weren't impaled in Shrike fashion. Though maybe someone has decided to feed it. And I don't think rabbits do suicide leaps off the embankment into forks in tree trunks .

My hunch is that it is kids or a kid, but I could be wrong.

I've decided to email a long-term local who is also very knowledgeable about wildlife, who may have local knowledge, which I don't.

It is a puzzle ..

[Jonathan]

It's not unusual (certainly around my area) for folk to throw mixied rabbit carcasses into trees in the mistaken belief it helps to stop the spread of the disease. Could simply be kids messing around, but they'd have to catch the rabbits first. Even a small rabbit would be too big for a shrike and, as James suggests, no-one poisons predators in this way, nor along a footpath.

Cheers
Jonathan

[davecatt]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

I can't work this one out ... you'd think that either putting food out for a bird of prey, whether to help it or to poison it would be done in an out-of-the way place. Though if it is poisoning and done on land where the public has access then it would be easy to say 'not me .. it could be anyone, the public has access'.

I did wonder Great Grey Shrike, which has been in the wider area, but I'm pretty sure the rabbits are too big and they weren't impaled in Shrike fashion. Though maybe someone has decided to feed it. And I don't think rabbits do suicide leaps off the embankment into forks in tree trunks .

My hunch is that it is kids or a kid, but I could be wrong.

I've decided to email a long-term local who is also very knowledgeable about wildlife, who may have local knowledge, which I don't.

It is a puzzle ..

Hi SheffieldLass
With reference to your comment highlited above: Are the trees in question growing on the embankment below the level of the track?

If so I would suggest that the most likely answer is someone using the rabbits for target practice and throwing the carcass away to avoid people finding the evidence of what they've been doing.

Whatever the reason I think it would be a good idea to contact North Yorkshire Police Wildlife Liaison Officer,and make him aware of the situation. The use of an airgun or firearm on a public right of way is illegal so the Police will take an interest, it would also be worth mentioning the possibility of someone trying to poison raptors.
Dave

[darrenm]

Used to see a similar thing in a part of Lincolnshire i lived in and it was the work of a farmer who used to shoot the rabbits for pest control and then throw them in the bushes because he didnt want them after he had shot them and he told me what he was doing. If someone is using a gun of any type on a public footpath it is illegal and the police need to be informed.

[RobinP]

Could it be someone using ferrets to catch and kill the rabbits? My knowledge of this practice is zero so just a suggestion.