I was first introduced to the Woodland Park rabbits in 1989 by my veterinarian Dr. Barbara Deeb. She knew that I would be interested in seeing this place where domestic rabbits were dumped, and of course I was. I’ve been trying to do something to help them ever since. 2006 is the year this will finally happen! I recall my first encounter with the rabbits at the Rocks. As a scientist, Dr. Deeb was curious about what was causing two of the rabbits to be so wobbly. Why were they tripping and falling over? She also pointed out rabbits with abscesses, torn ears and one with a broken back leg. While she pondered over what could be causing the neurologic problems, I was about to burst into tears. About half of the rabbits were the agouti brown mix. Could they be wild rabbits? But then there were the other half. Rabbits with white spotted coats; black rabbits, orange rabbits with white spots, a gray dwarf and one lop. These were obviously people’s pets. How could they possibly survive out there? I began spending time at the Rocks, trying to catch the injured and newly dumped rabbits. I had some success. But as I spent time there, I would see new pet rabbits appear and then a few days later I would see their bodies. It finally became overwhelming and I had to stop going to the Park.

What is a feral rabbit?

A feral rabbit is born outside and raised without close human contact. A feral rabbit does not have the instincts of the wild rabbit. A feral rabbit will tunnel about 12 inches under the ground. They have the burrowing instincts of their wild cousins, but that does not translate into being able to dig deep enough to keep warm in the winter. These tunnels also collapse when it rains. Over time, breeding without human intervention, their colors return to that of their ancestors, so that at first glance they look wild. With time and patience, a feral rabbit can be brought into a human home and learn to appreciate, rather than fear, the human touch. They will enjoy lounging on your sofa, or laying over a heat vent. Given enough time and patience, a feral rabbit will become indistinguishable from our domestic pets. There are many people in the Seattle area who have rescued rabbits from Woodland Park, and can attest to what a great pet they have become.

The back legs of feral rabbits are not as long as wild rabbits, their front legs have greater width and their face is not as pointed. Feral rabbits have, in general a larger body image than their wild cousins. Feral rabbits often run away from their burrows when frightened or chased, frequently leading to disastrous results.