The failure of Canmore, Alberta
In 2011, the town of Canmore became concerned their burgeoning feral rabbit population was attracting predators and causing wildlife conflicts. Their solution was to budget roughly $50,000 per year tendered to a trapper. The town invited a rescue (only one met the town’s criteria) to take rabbits, but not share the budget. The first four months, the trapper received $29,680, and the rescue received 189 rabbits, which then needed to be sterilized and cared for out of the rescue’s pocket. Eventually the rescue’s funding and patience ran out — rabbit fans were at odds with the town and the rescue and residents were at war with each other — and subsequent rabbits were gassed by the trapper and the bodies sent to a wildlife centre.
While the numbers were reduced, many rabbits remain. The trapping was woefully incomplete – residents not in favour of the lethal cull denied permission to trap on their property, and the rabbits continued to multiply. The total bill has so far surpassed $350,000 with the a $50,000 annual contract again up for grabs. The goal is now to reduce, but not eliminate, the population.
CTVNewsCanmore resumes rabbit cullThe town of Canmore is continuing to trap its rabbit population but the animals are no longer being sent to a sanctuary, they are being killed.