Helsinki has found a novel solution to the
age-old problem of urban rabbits. They will soon be on the menu for the
city zoo’s vultures, wolverines and lions, according to IceNews.
The
zoo, located on Korkeasaari Island, will introduce the new bunny
offerings at the end of the month, according to a report by the
Helsingin Sanomat. The domestic diet will be sourced from greens and
parks patrolled by the city’s Building Services Unit. The zoo system
will play an important part in maintaining Helsinki’s fragile
ecosystem, which has often come under threat from the city’s resilient
rabbit population.
The bunny proposal had been in discussion
since springtime this year and was finalised when zoo veterinarian Eeva
Rudback sent an email confirmation to Building Services project planner
Antti Rautiainen. Rautiainen’s proposal stated that a rabbit carcass of
1-2 kilograms would cost the zoo two euros, which Rudback accepted.
The
new agreement would mean an end to the importation of frozen Hungarian
rabbits which until now have been delivered via Estonia, from their
home on the rabbit farms of the puszta plains. The cost to transport
the frozen bunnies has risen to over 10 Euros per kilo making the
home-grown alternative both cheaper and more sustainable.
The
agreement is a natural match for the Building Services: a rabbit
population that needs to be contained and a means of disposal to a
client grateful for the furry food. The zoo has even extended its offer
to hunting enthusiasts and private entrepreneurs, who can make a few
extra euros from their excess bunny baggage.
