Jeff Martin's request for melanistic rabbit records prompts a summary of our observations over the last ten or so years 1988-98. These are based mainly on journeys from the Walpole and Bramfield (near Halesworth) area once a month or so to towns and villages within thirty miles or so, including Lowestoft, Southwold, Dunwich, Leiston, Beccles, Bungay, Aldeburgh, Snape, Blaxhall, Woodbridge, Laxfield and Diss. One or so weekly journeys was also made during this period across the County along the A 12 or AI 120/14 mainly around dawn (circa 6am) and returning in the evening 19.00 - 24.00 (+) hrs. when rabbits were active and frequently seen feeding on road verges and field edges.
The resulting observations of individual rabbits is estimated to be in the region of 20,000; with one or two rabbits seen on average for local daytime journeys and 10-20 for cross-County journeys.
The black coloured rabbit records are as follows:
Domestic rabbits encountered include, Most black rabbits have been seen close to or within 500 metres of dwellings and relatively few or no black rabbits amongst the majority of thousands of typical brown wild rabbits seen in the agricultural areas along roadsides of the A12, AI 120 and A 14. Wild and domestic rabbits may cross-breed quite frequently as rabbit keepers often have domestic rabbits in hutches and enclosures of varying reliability in their gardens. The young offspring of wild x domestic crosses may transfer black colouration. Interpretation of the reasons for changing frequency of black rabbits in 'the wild' may need to take these factors into account as the difference between melanistic wild rabbits and those resulting from wild x domestic crosses may be difficult or impossible to tell apart without close examination.
1 Juvenile, Church common, Snape. TM 395593, 1988. Seen several times over the summer but not the next spring.
2 Juvenile, North Green Farm, Sibton. TM 381713, 1992. Seen several times alongside road and in field over the summer period.
3 Juvenile, Dews Farm, Bramfield. TM 388719, 1994. Seen many times during the year after wild x black domestic cross juveniles were known to be living in the gardens of Dews Farm in the previous year. The rabbit had an unusual habit of moving 15mm (1/2") shingle stones from place to place (a few centimetres) with its teeth for a reason that was not quite clear. The grandmother (?) of the rabbit was considered to be a black domestic doe (by coincidence killed two years later by a stoat in ermine that got into her run), living in the garden that was (despite efforts to restrict it) mated by a male wild rabbit, and giving birth to eight rabbits that had all the full appearance of wild rabbit kittens. The black colouration therefore was thought to have jumped a generation although no other black rabbits have been seen. The rabbit population on the heavy clay soil appears to be unstable at Dews Farm and exists only at low levels due to myxomatosis. The stoat and weasel numbers are also quite high.
4 Adult, Roundabout on Norwich Road at Bungay (technically just in Norfolk). May 1998. Seen once next to the roundabout (where there is always a few chicks and a hen in summer but they don't seem to last long). It looked a bit tatty with a double chin and bare patch on its nose.
5 Juveniles, Wide verge/embankment at Earl Stonham. TM 103590, 1996. Two juvenile black rabbits of the same size seen together several times over a period of four months with many other typical wild juveniles and adults. Quite a large rabbit population has been seen here over the ten years. The area has what must be one of the largest stands of cowslips in the spring. The rabbit population rises and falls in an erratic way from year to year along 600 metres or so of verge.
6 Juvenile, near Fressingfield. TM 25/77, May 1998. Seen once on side of road.
7 Juvenile, on forest ride, Dunwich Forest. TM46/71, 1996. Seen once.
8 Juvenile, Hinton. TM444721, 1995. On edge of road near old sandpit. Seen once.
Other rabbits
a Weather Heather TL 787777 1989. Black and white rabbit at parking spot by the AI 1. Probably abandoned.
b Wenhaston village TM 420759, 1995. Adult domestic rabbit on road. Caught and returned to owner. Went by the name of 'Tappy' and occasionally escaped according to the owner who lived nearby.
c Wenhaston, Bickers Heath. TM 422762, 1995. Adult, odd greyish coloured, probably escaped or abandoned. We tried to catch it in a live trap but it was killed on the road a few weeks later.
d Adult, bungalow in Bramfield. TM 379737, 1995. White rabbit outside house on road. Owners said it was always escaping.
Conclusion
Tom Langton and Catherine Beckett