A rare Enderby Island rabbit is among “several” bunnies suspected to have been stolen from Canterbury’s Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
The reserve said its “primary concern” was the welfare and safe return of the animals that were a “vital part” of an ongoing rare breeds conservation programme.
The Enderby Island rabbit was due to mate with two female rabbits of the same breed, making its disappearance a “serious blow”.
It said the breeding programme to preserve the rare and endangered breed was one of its “least known conservation initiatives”. The distinctive animal bred in isolation for more than 100 years after being introduced to New Zealand’s southern Enderby Island.
“Willowbank director and founder, Michael Willis, first led an expedition to Enderby Island in September 1992 to rescue a breeding group of the animals from the island, before an eradication programme to allow the island’s delicate eco-system to be restored.
“In recent years, their numbers have declined and Michael, in conjunction with Willowbank and the NZ Rare Breeds Conservation Society, has been working the re-establish a base population for the critically endangered breed.”
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve remained hopeful the animal and others affected would be safely returned.
It also offered a guarantee of anonymity to anyone who assisted in ensuring their safe return.
