FOXGLOVE

The reason we are seeing so many rabbits about now is because last year was an exceptionally good year for rabbits, being so hot and dry. Rabbits are arid and semi-arid dwellers by choice, and damp does not suit them, while wet will kill them in droves, and indeed has been doing so since the weather changed from our hot dry spring.

Most of the adult rabbits we see now were born last year, and able to survive to breeding age because of last year's favourable conditions. Given that a wild rabbit is lucky to live more than two years, what has happened is that more rabbits have been available for breeding than usual, which is why there are so many about just now.

But look again, and you will see that there is a greater proportion of adult rabbits to young, and it should be the other way about. Many burrows have been flooded out in recent weeks, and while adult rabbits have escaped, a lot of young have perished.

Drowning is the obvious cause of death, but less obvious are the deaths by parasite infestation with two causes: more parasites flourishing in the warm damp conditions, and the juvenile rabbits being weakened by the same and so more susceptible.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette July 25