Thursday 13 August 2009

Sleeping rough

Concerned, I asked the security guard posted at the base of the southern pylon of the harbour bridge whether he knew there was a rabbit on the grassy slope. He smiled in a benignly condescending manner: "They have been there about four years. There are quite a few of them". I only managed to sight these two and they are most certainly not wild rabbits.

When I was a kid living on a farm, rabbits were pests that we had to trap to prevent them decimating the grasses meant for the sheep. In the Great Depression in South Sydney, unemployed men would wander the laneways calling "Rabbito" trying to sell rabbits they had trapped in the wild to earn money to feed and clothe their family.

Knowing the breeding habits of rabbits, "quite a few" is probably an understatement!!

17 comments:

VP said...

They are quite relaxed there, I hope that they are somewhat under control.

Sean said...

Do they sell "rabbit" in any of the stores near there? If so, is it a co-incidence?

Joan Elizabeth said...

Goodness, I had no idea white rabbits were hopping around the inner city. You have made yet another interesting discovery.

Fiona said...

Ditto above. Will keep an eye out for them when I'm in town next week.

brattcat said...

Did you spy Alice, too?

Lois said...

They certainly do look well fed too!

Anonymous said...

This guy looks very content.

I remember reading in history class about a time when Australia was over-run by rabbits. I believe they are not indigenous, and were brought over for some purpose, but the population just exploded.

Stephany said...

They are cute but I can understand your concern about their proliferation. I, too, remember reading about the over-population of rabbits in Australia. When I lived in Florida, there was a similar situation with alligators in the Everglades. I don't know if they ever got it under control. My mom says it's pythons now.

eamon@ewmphotography said...

A week ago when we were staying at my brother's looking after their kids while they attended a wedding, I spent two days chasing the rabbits that they kept letting out. Those blighters certainly can run!

Ann said...

You're kidding - rabbits under the Harbour Bridge. Well I never. Mnd you, I remember going for a walk from the hostel in Vancouver and seeing rabbits everywhere.

Dawn said...

Well, my my...that's something I wasn't expecting to see in the middle of the city.

Emma Dalloway said...

peculiar discovery, julie

Mirela said...

Very cute!

Jim said...

What an interesting find.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Anonymous said...

This means that irresponsible people have been dumping them there. They might look happy, but domestic rabbits don't know how to evade or fight off predators. These guys will probably die a sad death because some selfish idiots were to lazy to find them a home.

AB said...

Cute. The rabbit at the top looks like he has an itchy nose.

Sandy said...

I did the bridge climb on the weekend and actually saw 4 rabbits in a fenced off area under the bridge, there were 2 white ones and two brown ones and they were pretty big. I live in the country and see rabbits a lot but I was not expecting to see them there.