20 July 2023 , 15:46
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When most people think of animals associated with Florida, they think of the alligator, turtle, or manatee - they don't often think of bunny rabbits. That is, however, until a selfish neighbour unleashed them on one suburb.
In a Fort Lauderdale suburb, Florida has welcomed its newest invasive special - lionhead rabbits. The bunnies, which sport an impressive flowing mane around their head, are the descendants of a group let loose illegally by a backyard breeder when she moved away.
Now, Alicia Griggs helps care for the 60 to 100 lionheads now populating Jenada Isles, an 81-home community in Wilton Manors. She represents their best chance at survival and moving the domesticated breed where it belongs: back indoors, away from cars, cats, hawks, heat and possibly government-hired exterminators.
Alicia Griggs is spearheading the campaign to raise funds for a rescue group to capture, neuter, vaccinate, shelter and rehome the bunnies (AP)One fed-up resident called Jon King said he wants the rabbits gone soon.
They dig in his garden and he spent $200 repairing his outdoor lights after they damaged the writing. He bought rabbit repellent, but that didn't work, and even his little dog doesn't scare them - apparently: "He's their best friend."
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"Every morning, I get up and first thing I do is cover up the holes and chase them out of the backyard. I like them, I just wish they would go somewhere else," said Jon. "Rescue would be great."
Alicia is spearheading a campaign to raise the $20,000 to $40,000 it would cost for a rescue group to capture, neuter, vaccinate, shelter and then give away the rabbits.
"They really need to be rescued. So we've tried to get the city to do it, but they're just dragging their feet," she said. "They think that if they do that, then they'll have to get rid of iguanas and everything else that people don't want around."
Monica Mitchell, of East Coast Rabbit Rescue who would likely lead the effort, said capturing, treating, and finding homes for them is "not an easy process." Few vets treat rabbits and many prospective owners shy away when they find out just how much work the animals require.
It's estimated there are between 60 and 100 rabbits living in the neighbourhood (AP)Alicia, a real estate agent, explained: "People don't realise they're exotic pets and they're complicated. They have a complicated digestive system and they have to eat a special diet. You can't just throw any table scraps at them."
Wilton Manors is giving Alicia and fellow supporters time to raise money and relocate the rabbits, rather than exterminate them. This is despite the city commission voting in April to do just that after receiving an $8,000 estimate from a trapping company.
The vote came after some residents began complaining the lionheads were digging holes, chewing outdoor wiring and leaving droppings on sidewalks and driveways. City commissioners also feared the rabbits could spread into neighbouring communities and cities and become a traffic hazard if they ventured out onto major streets.
There are concerns the rabbits could become a traffic hazard if they ventured beyond the neighbourhood to busy streets (AP)"The safety of this rabbit population is of utmost important to the City, and any decision to involve ourselves will be certain to see these rabbits placed into the hands of people with a passion to provide the necessary care and love for these rabbits," said Police Chief Gary Blocker.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which often culls invasive specials, has told the city it will not intercede. The rabbits pose no immediate threat to wildlife.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has said it will not intervene (AP)Lionhead rabbits aren't the only invasive species causing headaches, or worse, for Floridians, though. Burmese pythons and lionfish are killing off native specials, giant African snails eat stucco off homes and carry human disease, and iguanas destroy gardens.
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Like the Wilton Manors lionhead rabbits, all those populations started when people illegally turned them loose. But unlike those species, Florida's environment is not friendly to lionheads.
Instead of the seven to nine-year life-span to be expected when they are properly housed, their lives outdoors tend to be nasty, brutal and shortened. The lionheads' heavy coat means they overheat in hot Florida summers, and their lack of fear makes them susceptible to predators.
Life in the wild for the lionheads tends to be nasty, brutal and shortened (AP)Munching on lawns is not a healthy diet either, and illnesses go untreated. In short, they need dedicated owners.
"Domesticated (rabbits) released into the environment are not equipped to thrive on their own," explained Eric Stewart, executive director of the American Rabbit Breeders Association. He said the breeder who released them should be prosecuted, a path the city has not pursued.
The Wilton Manors colony survives and grows because lionheads breed, well, like the rabbits they are. Females give birth to litters of two-to-six offspring every month, starting when they are around three months old.
Jon King would rather see the rabbits evicted from his neighbourhood (AP)One recent morning in Jenada Isles saw clutches of two to 10 bunnies dotted along the streets and lawns, the braves hopping up to residents and visitors in search of treats. A large group of rabbits gathered on the driveway of Gator Carter, who put out food for them.
He said the lionheads bring joy to the neighbourhood, and his two young grandchildren love giving them carrots. He said: "People drive by, stop, love 'em, feed 'em. They don't bother me. We have a couple Airbnbs on the island here and the people (guests) are just amazed that the rabbits come right up to them."