Rabbits riling farmer
Bunnies nibble through pricey pumpkin plantings

Matt Carter, The Province
Published: Friday, June 16, 2006

Over the past three weeks, rabbits have cost Richmond farmer Bill Zylmans nearly $30,000.

"Maybe in a yard it's a cute bunny, but this is my livelihood here," Zylmans, 48, said yesterday.

Zylmans, whose family has farmed in Richmond for 57 years, has never before had a problem with rabbits. He first noticed damage to his three-hectare pumpkin patch near Gilbert and Finn roads several days after seeding on May 10.

"I come out and go, 'What are all these holes? What's this about? There's friggin' bunnies here,'" he said.

He bought more seeds and has twice paid a team of seven to re-seed the patch.

But he can't stop the rabbits from feeding on the seeds. "In the morning, you see 200 or 300 of them out here," he said.

On Monday, Richmond council recognized the problem that farmers south of Steveston Highway are having.

"There's a very large rabbit population that has gotten out of hand," said Coun. Evelina Halsey-Brandt.

"We've asked staff to look at what is the most humane way of getting rid of the rabbits, whether it's getting a permit to dispose of them using pellet guns or whether it's trapping or whatever."

There is a longtime rabbit population at the Richmond Nature Park north of Westminster Highway, but that's more than eight kilometres from Zylmans' pumpkin patch, which is among more than 202 hectares of farmland south of Steveston Highway.

Halsey-Brandt blamed negligent owners abandoning their pets.

Rabbits have a lifespan of eight to 12 years. Females give birth to up to 30 young a year.

"Do you get a handle on it now and deal with the situation, or do you let it multiply as much as the rabbits are?" Halsey-Brandt said.

"I'm doing everything I can not to laugh. It is serious, but it's kind of funny at the same time."

mcarter@png.canwest.com

Richmond farmer Bill Zylmans says hungry rabbits are running roughshod over his vegetable crops, destroying seedling on a three-hectare pumpkin field -- a problem that Richmond council is now attempting to address.
Photograph by : Les Bazso, The Province