Rabbit Shortage?

Well it appears that New England cottontails are becoming scarce in New England. Guess what? They've all moved to Pennsylvania!

According to The Boston Globe, wildlife biologists currently estimate that the population of cotton tail rabbits in the entire state of New Hampshire is less than 100!!! Trust me, that's about the average siting in one night here in the wilds of Pa. (well, that might be a tad bit of an exageration, but trust me, rabbits are multiplying before my very eyes...)!

"They're the poster child for the loss of shrubland habitat," said Steven fuller, a wildlife biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. In fact, last year the New England states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut "received federal grant to help preserve the cottontail." Could I make this up?

The problem seems to be that the forest areas that originally formed on farms (and therefore featured thickets that rabbits prefer) have grown and expanded to be so thick that thickets disappear. And then, apparently, so do the rabbits.

In my experience, rabbits do indeed make no secret of their existence. They build their nests out in the open in suburbans lawns, never under bushes or trees. Perhaps they should consider clearing some of the forest areas or better yet, checking around the ever present soccer fields of baseball diamonds. Chances are rabbits are hiding there.

In the meantime, if New Hampshire gets really desperate, I know a great place to nab a few cottontails for transport over state lines.