Rabbits excel at breeding and that’s bad for islands

The alone. Kia‘i Moku last of The rabbits on Laysan island By Lissa Fox the certainly multiplied at a rate that Easter could have sustained the captain ham has been pol- and his family for a long time. ished off, the jelly In the absence of any sort of beans and choco- predator the rabbit population late bunnies have had exploded. The rabbits ate been nibbled every green thing on the island away, and and turned what had once been a thoughts have lushly vegetated island into a turned from spring desert wasteland of blowing to summer, from sand with only the Captain’s Easter baskets to barbeques. But what tobacco plants remaining. In about the surprise brought home for addition to building their own Easter morning, the adorable bunny that burrows, the rabbits moved into you thought would be such a hit? The the existing burrows alongside kids have lost interest and care and main- the seabirds. But the rabbits tenance is now up to you. You’re think- were not good neighbors. The ing of simplifying life a bit—it’s time for seabird population dropped to the bunny to go, and what better way one-tenth of what it had been. than just leaving the cage door ajar. The Laysan apapane, Laysan When you wake up tomorrow morning, millerbird, and flightless Laysan oops! No more bunny. rail went extinct, primarily due But wait! Rabbits do not belong in to habitat degradation resulting paradise. There are no foxes, coyotes, from the rabbit introduction and and wolves to keep the population in poaching. By 1923 the rabbits check. Rabbits make wonderful pets, had been removed, but the Lay- Where ’s environment is concerned, when kept properly, but should not be san duck and popu- bunnies are bearers of bad news. allowed to in the wild. Where Hawaii’s lations remain threatened to this environment is concerned, bunnies are day. just a time bomb waiting to go off.” bearers of bad news—not brightly dyed Luckily, Laysan is a small island, just Makes you wonder what that Easter eggs. Take, for example, the story of over 1000 acres. If a significant rabbit bunny really has in his basket. what happened in the Northwest Hawai- population became established on a lar- So instead of letting your Easter bunny ian Islands on Laysan. ger island like , it would be impos- go, please take it to the Maui Humane When westerners first visited Laysan in sible to eradicate. Take the large Society if you can no longer keep it. If the mid 19th century, the island was “island” of Australia for example: you see a rabbit hopping down the road, densely vegetated with sandalwood twenty-four rabbits were introduced in call the Maui Invasive Species Commit- groves, flowering plants, and fan palms. 1859. “The introduction of a few rabbits tee at 573-MISC. It was a biological gem with a high de- could do little harm and might provide a gree of biodiversity. Monk seals and touch of home, in addition to a spot of turtles lounged on the beaches and sea- hunting” said the English rancher who is birds filled the skies. There were at least thought to be responsible. Within ten five species of birds unique to Laysan. years it was said that you could have • Lissa Fox is the Ho’ike O Ground nesting seabirds were so plenti- killed 2 million rabbits without noticea- Haleakala outreach liaison bly impacting the population. ful and tame that explorers were worried reprensenting the Maui about stepping on them. Thousands of Quick response by Haleakala National years of seabird droppings had produced Park prevented what could have been a Invasive Species Commit- a thick layer of . In 1893 an enter- devastating population explosion of rab- tee, or MISC. “Kia‘i prising sea captain settled on Laysan to bits near the crater. In October of 1989, Moku,”(Guarding the Is- begin mining the guano for use as fertil- a pet-owner released 6 rabbits near Hos- land) is prepared by the izer. Innocently, he brought with him mer’s Grove. Work to remove the rab- Maui Invasive Species rabbits to supplement his diet and to de- bits began immediately upon discovery Committee to provide in- velop a rabbit canning business. of the population in July of 1990. Over formation on protecting the Rabbits excel at breeding. Reaching the next 10 months nearly 100 rabbits island from invasive plants breeding maturity at 5-6 months of age, were removed, the farthest one spread and animals that can almost a and a half from the original rabbits can have a litter of 5-12 “kits” threaten the island’s envi- and become pregnant again within a few population. In the words of scientist days of giving birth. Here in the tropics Lloyd Loope who was working at Halea- ronment, economy and they can breed all year round, meaning kala National Park when the rabbits were quality of life. one doe can have up to 12 litters a year. discovered “…rabbit establishment on That’s 144 rabbits per year from one pair one or more of the is

As submitted to The Maui News. April 9, 2008. Page D8.