tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16505569.post1822342108472850730..comments2024-01-05T05:02:20.353+00:00Comments on CRYPTOZOOLOGY ONLINE: Still on the Track: GAVIN LLOYD WILSON: Black BunniesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16505569.post-40798609159750521462010-10-13T13:45:26.247+01:002010-10-13T13:45:26.247+01:00The Handbook of British Mammals describes melanic ...The Handbook of British Mammals describes melanic Rabbits as "not uncommon" and "more frequent in the absence of ground predators (e.g. on islands or in large enclosures)".<br /><br />I have encountered melanic Rabbits while undertaking contracted fieldwork in the Uists (Outer Hebrides) and the Isle of Man, as well as frequently in the home counties (including, like Gavin, two animals at a time) and suspect that many larger colonies hold at least one example.<br /><br />I would not be surprised if a rigorous study found melanic Rabbits to occur in a ratio of around 1:100 - certainly not the telly person's 1:1000000! (Misinformation like that is not uncommon on television wildlife programmes; the old adage about not believing all that you read in the newspapers should be adapted to apply to other media!)<br /><br />I think others have also mooted a possible increase in melanics, but I don't know of any hard research. Counts by amateurs at a series of colonies at dawn or dusk could be worthwhile.HertsHobbieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532629014678719707noreply@blogger.com