Myxomatosis – what do you say?
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Rarely – I’m glad to say – does rangering get close to theology. But today I had the job of writing a response to a young lady who wrote to me describing herself as a ‘rabbit lover’, and explaining why we were doing nothing to alleviate the suffering of rabbits with myxomotosis in her favourite beauty spot.
I could have given the usual trite excuses about it not being our land, and rabbits as a species surviving fine alongside the dreaded disease. But I too have seen the sad creatures sitting, blind and lethargic, by the side of the road, or in the path. Excuses were not really what the writer was seeking from me and so I offered none, and just explained what the disease was. I concluded my letter “Sadly for the rabbits, this disease is now one of the many hazards that a wild rabbit has to endure, and there is little that we humans can do to help. ”
Whilst checking my facts I found this.
Myxomatosis Caught in the center of a soundless field While hot inexplicable hours go by What trap is this? Where were its teeth concealed? You seem to ask. I make a sharp reply, Then clean my stick. I’m glad I can’t explain Just in what jaws you were to suppurate: You may have thought things would come right again If you could only keep quite still and wait. Philip Larkin
