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Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I grew up in Ontario and Nunavut, and went to university in New Brunswick. For two years I lived in Ottawa, on the green belt. While I was there I wrote about nature. Then I moved to Montreal and I wrote nothing for a year. We've got nature here too, so I'm going to write about it.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Rabbits


Yesterday, I looked out the window and saw a rabbit. I see alot of rabbits, of course, they are common animals. This one sticks in my mind because it was very very stout. It wasn't an escaped epet rabbit, but rather you average, garden variety wild rabbit, an eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus. You get alot of them in these parts, along with the occasional Snowshoe Hare, although, of course, Rabbits and Hares are seperate and distinct creatures. I imagine my young friend was gearing up for winter, just the same as me. Of course, wheras I go to the store and buy a new pair of longjohns and some wool socks, rabbits fatten themselves up.


They're normally not all that active in the daytime, being nocturnal. this is, therefore, yet another case of the animals not having read the same books as myself. I really must talk to them about that. I suppose he was just enjoying the grass and such while he can...come winter he'll be eating bark, and twigs, which I can't imagine are as tasty. I think he'll probably be anticipating gardening season as eagerly as the gardeners, though for somewhat different reasons. That is, if the hawks, owls and coyotes don't get him....nature red in tooth and claw, as is so often said. However, there are plenty more rabbits in the world, even if a bit of predation takes it's toll. And without it, we wouldn't have half the animals that I love to see and hear. For a world with Owls and Coyotes, I would happily sacrifice any number of rabbits.


This one, though. I kind of hope he lives. Call me a sentimental fool.....I probably am.

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