[NatureNS] re rabbits & hares at White Point Beach Lodge

To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>,
Cc: ebarnard@herald.ca
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Thu, 23 May 2013 11:23:34 -0300
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Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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How many of you noticed the photo and information in Saturday's  
Herald's Travel section on the famous rabbits and their supposed  
history of White Point Beach Lodge?  The article and photos by Elissa  
Barnard said that the owner's daughter had some rabbits that escaped  
from their cages about 20 years ago and proceeded to breed with wild  
rabbits, which would have been snowshoe or varying hares.

I sent this 'info' ' to some knowledgable friends, and two of them  
said that would be impossible, as I also thought.  Domestic rabbits  
are European rabbits, in the genus Oryctolagus -- think of the  
excellent book, "Watership Down", which was about such critters  
living in burrows or 'warrens'.

But Nova Scotia's only native wild "rabbit", the varying or snowshoe  
hare, is not a rabbit but is a hare, in the genus Lepus.  This makes  
it extremely unlikely or maybe impossible that those tame rabbits  
interbred or hybridized with the wild hares.

The varied colours of the White Point feral rabbits may be just due  
to whatever variability the escapees had originally (quite variable?  
or varied?) and also genetically the founder effect from an initially  
small population.  I have never been there nor seen these famous  
rabbits.

I invite comments please.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, and here are a few links to Elissa  
Barnard's Herald article etc.:

Of Fire & Water | White Point Beach Resort

www.whitepoint.com/blog/2013/05/20/of-fire-water/trackback/ - Cached
2 days ago ... What is wonderful about White Point Beach Resort is  
its ... White Point isn't just for kids; in fact, its mix is what  
makes it so appealing. There are ...

White Point blog - White Point Beach Resort

www.whitepoint.com/blog/ - Cached
Posted by White Point Beach Resort Team on May 21st, 2013 .... are  
there, the pool is good and the new lodge is a wonderful mix of the  
rustic with the modern.

On The Rocks | White Point Beach Resort

whitepoint.com/blog/?s=on+the+rocks - Cached
Posted by White Point Beach Resort Team on February 20th, 2013 .....  
I would love to see white point rebuild with a beautiful destination  
spa. .... think a timber framed main lodge would look wonderful and  
rustic to blend in with exsisting areas. 20. ... It would be  
wonderful to see some more current, modern neutral decor that ...
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">How many of you noticed the =
photo and information in Saturday's Herald's Travel section on the =
famous rabbits and their supposed history of White Point Beach Lodge? =
&nbsp;The article and photos by Elissa Barnard said that the owner's =
daughter had some rabbits that escaped from their cages about 20 years =
ago and proceeded to breed with wild rabbits, which would have been =
snowshoe or varying hares.<div><br></div><div>I sent this 'info' ' to =
some knowledgable friends, and two of them said that would be =
impossible, as I also thought. &nbsp;Domestic rabbits are European =
rabbits, in the genus Oryctolagus -- think of the excellent book, =
"Watership Down", which was about such critters living in burrows or =
'warrens'.</div><div><br></div><div>But Nova Scotia's only native wild =
"rabbit", the varying or snowshoe hare, is not a rabbit but is a hare, =
in the genus Lepus. &nbsp;This makes it extremely unlikely or maybe =
impossible that those tame rabbits interbred or hybridized with the wild =
hares.</div><div><br></div><div>The varied colours of the White Point =
feral rabbits may be just due to whatever variability the escapees had =
originally (quite variable? or varied?) and also genetically the founder =
effect from an initially small population. &nbsp;I have never been there =
nor seen these famous rabbits.</div><div><br></div><div>I invite =
comments please.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, =
and here are a few links to Elissa Barnard's Herald article =
etc.:</div><div><br></div><div><p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 23.0px =
0.0px; line-height: 19.0px"><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"5" =
color=3D"#152cc5" style=3D"font: 16.0px Arial; color: #152cc5"><a =
href=3D"http://www.google.ca/url?q=3Dhttp://www.whitepoint.com/blog/2013/0=
5/20/of-fire-water/trackback/&amp;sa=3DU&amp;ei=3DJiaeUYPHI6jnyAGxpoDICg&a=
mp;ved=3D0CB0QFjAB&amp;usg=3DAFQjCNHcmyh4FGrWF9pmggPLCBWEQxDAvg">Of Fire =
&amp; Water | <b>White Point Beach Resort</b></a></font></p><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; line-height: 15px; "><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4" =
color=3D"#46953a" style=3D"font: 13.0px Arial; color: =
#46953a">www.<b>whitepoint</b>.com/blog/2013/05/20/of-fire-water/trackback=
/</font><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4" color=3D"#222222" style=3D"font: =
13.0px Arial; color: #222222"> - <a =
href=3D"http://www.google.ca/url?q=3Dhttp://webcache.googleusercontent.com=
/search%3Fhl%3Den-CA%26q%3Dcache:hQByYOPc370J:http://www.whitepoint.com/bl=
og/2013/05/20/of-fire-water/trackback/%252BRebuilt%2BWhite%2BPoint%2BBeach=
%2BResort%2Ba%2Bwonderful%2Bmix%2Bof%2Brustic,%2Bmodern%26gbv%3D2%26ct%3Dc=
lnk&amp;sa=3DU&amp;ei=3DJiaeUYPHI6jnyAGxpoDICg&amp;ved=3D0CB4QIDAB&amp;usg=
=3DAFQjCNG5ab-b6FUNzgUUROVpJyjBZR3IOg"><font color=3D"#152cc5" =
style=3D"color: #152cc5">Cached</font></a></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; line-height: 16px; "><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4" =
color=3D"#222222" style=3D"font: 13.0px Arial; color: #222222">2 days =
ago <b>...</b> What is <b>wonderful</b> about <b>White Point Beach =
Resort</b> is its <b>...</b> White Point isn't just for kids; in fact, =
its <b>mix</b> is what makes it so appealing. There are =
<b>...</b></font></div></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: =
16px; "><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4" color=3D"#222222" style=3D"font: =
13.0px Arial; color: #222222"><b><br></b></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; line-height: 16px; "><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4" =
color=3D"#222222" style=3D"font: 13.0px Arial; color: #222222"><b><p =
style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 23.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px"><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"5" color=3D"#152cc5" style=3D"font: 16.0px Arial; =
color: #152cc5"><a =
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