How Wild Rabbits IN THE UK ARE HELPING SAVE ECOSYSTEMS

 











https://www.treehugger.com/wild-rabbits-help-save-ecosystems-5203254

 We think to rabbits as animals that pest around are yards and ruin habitats in places including the US and others arounds the world. Well that is not the case where they are in the UK. Even with their grayish-brown coat and big floppy ears, rabbits has actually helped save ecosystems across the United Kingdom. 

When rabbits graze, scratch and burrow while disturbing the ground and brush for food they eat, their movements however help the ecosystem. Their burrows and digging create areas of bare soil or short grassland which help out the rare plants and invertebrate plants that require that to grow. So Researchers have told livestock people to create mounds of dirt in order for rabbits to graze and create burrows or just graze the mound with their feet. This helps with many species including mosses, insects, and bird species. Without them, those species would have to move out or in turn die out if they didn't move out. 

Ever since the 1950s, rabbits in the UK have seen a decline since there have been disease occurring the UK including myxomatosis which about 90% of rabbits died from that disease. A woman by the name of Diana Bell, who goes to the University of East Angelia's School of Biology, have a habitat recovery project named "Shifting Sands" which helps save rabbits and also helps with the ecosystems. Shifting Sands is the one of many projects that help with animals almost going extinct and helping get that species back and alive. This in turn including the other projects will benefit more than 200 species which is incredible. 

With the help of landowners helping out with the rabbit population, mostly every landowners has made mound for the rabbits. Researchers have searched for those burrows and mounds and have found out that 91% were brush piles and 41% were burrows which in turn can expand rabbit population in the long run. 







Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 29, 2021 at 11:30 AM

    Wow, I had no idea that rabbits could do that. I am happy to hear that there are habitat recovery projects to help save the rabbits that help save their environment. I am glad that UK scientists have found a cheap way to save their ecosystems and that it is working. Loved this post!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hannah MeadowsOctober 2, 2021 at 10:49 AM

    This is such an interesting topic! I like that you picked something different that most people wouldn’t expect to be a factor in helping the environment. I never knew that rabbits could help the ecosystem. I think it’s cool that a living part of the ecosystem can actually help the ecosystem itself. I also think it’s cool that landowners are helping the rabbits too.

    ReplyDelete

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