A new phase in the ongoing efforts to control the rabbits on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years in prison, will see rabbits being dressed for human use and donated to charity.

Robben Island
Robben Island really came into the news with the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the change of government in South Africa. International concerts featuring his cell number and visits to the museum by world figures added to the allure of the island a 30 minute ferry trip from Cape Town.

Then Robben Island made the news for less savoury activities that reflect the negative side of South Africa - political cronyism, mismanagement and corruption which lead to a deterioration in the museum and the island and eventually the replacement of the Robben Island Museum’s (RIM) complete management structure. A report on the operation of RIM in this period is still being withheld, against all kinds of pressure, by the Government.

Now Robben Island is in the news as the new acting management, tries to deal with conservation and environmental issues. It’s here that the European Rabbit enters the picture.

Early in 2008 the conservation status of Robben Island was exposed by animal counts, which showed a ten fold reduction in Bontebok over the last year and a four fold reduction in Springbok over the past 5 years

Much of this was attributed to a virtual destruction of all vegetation on the island which was laid at the door of over population, especially of the feral rabbits. As normal in a small island environment the conservation issues are complex. For instance feral cats control the rabbits but also threaten birdlife, especially penguins, so professional plans properly implemented are a necessity and have clearly not been in place.

The Rabbits of Robin Island
The rabbits are not indigenous to Robben Island apparently being brought to the island by European sailors in the 1600s. However, UNESCO who awarded Robben Island World Heritage Site status and RIM have, based on the investigations and recommendations of others, concluded that the rabbits are a part of the history of the island and that a sustainable population should be preserved.

The number of rabbits increased dramatically in the period of inactivity until 2008 when the new management of RIM and the SPCA designed an implemented a plan to reduce the numbers to a sustainable level. The island was closed for 2 weeks while culling was undertaken. Tamer rabbits were caught and euthanised while hunters dealt with the wilder rabbits. One thousand five hundred rabbits  were culled in the first month in a process which the SPCA & RIM were both satisfied with. However there was a feeling that there was not a good enough knowledge of the actual population.

In October 2009 marksman again started culling and had killed and buried 2000 rabbits by mid November. At this time the acting CEO of RIM, Jatti Bredekamp said that from then on all culled rabbits certified safe for human consumption would be “dressed and packaged for donation to charity”. He also announced that there would be another rabbit count carried out so that the longer term culling needs could be defined.

Reaction
There has been little reaction, presumably because the SPCA has been involved in this and other attempts to improve the conditions on Robben Island.

The interesting thing is going to be how consumers react to rabbit as it is very seldom sold as meat for human consumption in South Africa.

Source - GO Media - Written by Dave Harcourt - photo by Noodle snacks on Wikipedia under a GNU Free Documentation license.