Are these all parts of a rabbit?

[Deb London]

Hi folks,

These pictures were taken along a tree-covered path on private land.

Are these the insides and fur of a rabbit?



The contents of what I presume is the stomach looked very much like porridge, so can anyone hazard a guess as to what it had for its last meal?

What would have killed and done this to the "rabbit"?

The remains were near those of a Woodpigeon that had been partially plucked and the breast meat eaten. This I think was a Sparrowhawk kill. So I assume that it was coincidence that the kills were virtually next to each other. Or is there any predator that could have killed both?

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks.

PS Sorry for the quality of the shots, which were taken on a phone.

[Jason Claxton]

How macabre Deb

The assailant appears to have used a small sharp pencil though, which is clearly visible in your shot.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

How macabre Deb

The assailant appears to have used a small sharp pencil though, which is clearly visible in your shot.

I'll give you sharp pencil....

[Dogghound]

Yes a Rabbits Caecum, most mammalian predators leave this part of the body uneaten. Its hard to say what killed it, I suspect a larger more powerful predator such as a fox, dog, cat or badger. Or it could have been gutted by a human?

[Deb London]

Thanks Dogghound. I can rule out a couple of those too.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Deb London

The contents of what I presume is the stomach looked very much like porridge, so can anyone hazard a guess as to what it had for its last meal?

Some type of grain or grass seed? Bird food (any pheasants reared nearby?).

Might it have been a pet Rabbit killed further away and carried to the place you found it? In which case perhaps it was porridge.

henrya

[Kayleigh]

Are you in competition with my slime..well you win this one..
I did think human, its a messy business gutting and disposing of a rabbit at home.
But then it could have been predated its hard to tell for sure I have seen Buzzard going for rabbits amazing to watch.

[Deb London]

There are Buzzards, though I don't see them much.

Almost (95 %) sure that it wasn't a human that did this because of where this was (human activity would have probably been seen, even in the dark) and also because it is unlikely that this rabbit was shot or trapped because of where this was.

I've not heard of Badgers or seen evidence here.

I have seen plenty of Foxes.

I won't know for sure, but quick question. Would a Buzzard leave evidence like this in a fairly wooded location?

Re. the last meal. If they eat grass seed, then this will be the most likely food. There are horses if horse food ever looks like this. And yes, it could have been a pet, although the fur looked like the wild Rabbits I see. Thanks henrya.

And sorry about the gore. I didn't find it that gory because it was very fresh and the flies were only just finding the remains.

I keep finding various kills, but just in the last month. I wanted to take a picture of one item of "prey" for ID that looked quite large, like a fox/cat. But that really did smell. I was waiting for it to freshen up when it disappeared.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Deb London

There are Buzzards, though I don't see them much.

Almost (95 %) sure that it wasn't a human that did this because of where this was (human activity would have probably been seen, even in the dark) and also because it is unlikely that this rabbit was shot or trapped because of where this was.

I've not heard of Badgers or seen evidence here.

I have seen plenty of Foxes.

I won't know for sure, but quick question. Would a Buzzard leave evidence like this in a fairly wooded location?

Re. the last meal. If they eat grass seed, then this will be the most likely food. There are horses if horse food ever looks like this. And yes, it could have been a pet, although the fur looked like the wild Rabbits I see. Thanks henrya.

And sorry about the gore. I didn't find it that gory because it was very fresh and the flies were only just finding the remains.

I keep finding various kills, but just in the last month. I wanted to take a picture of one item of "prey" for ID that looked quite large, like a fox/cat. But that really did smell. I was waiting for it to freshen up when it disappeared.

I don't think these remains will be there for long something will find them and finish them off soon enough.

[Dogghound]

Was there anything else like other parts of the carcass? If it was under the canopy its unlikely a buzzard. However its also unlikely that a buzzard would disgard the caecum like this (although it would probably not eat it) this is much more a mammal trait.