Rutting Rabbits Rock Hogtown

It's gonna be an adorable summer. The Star reports that perfect hare-raising conditions have led to the population of cottontail rabbits skyrocketing to numbers not seen since the turn of the century, when pundits predicted that we were headed into the millennium of the bunny.

There are two main reasons for this abundance of floppy-eared Easter rodents. First, while climate change sucks for polar bears, it's a hell of a deal for rabbits, who have been experiencing an idyllic spring and summer with a surfeit of free-range carrots, hay, lettuce and those little brown pellet things. Second, an outbreak of mange four years ago reduced the predator population by leaving many foxes and coyotes furless and ill-equipped for the harsh Toronto winter. Under such optimal conditions, rabbits reproduce with startling efficiency, as evidenced by the expression "screwing like bunnies" (or in pukka, "breeding like rabbits").

What does all this mean to you? Well since if you're reading this you're most likely human, you, sir or madam, are at the top of the food chain and all you need is a good pair of running shoes and a bowie knife and those wascally wabbits are yours for the catchin', skinnin' and stewin'. The best recipe received by Torontoist will be featured in our new weekly column, Eating Stuff We Found In Our Yard.

Photo by Angie Torres from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.