Residents of Swanavon brought concerns about the feral rabbit population in their neighbourhood to city council on June 2.

They are frustrated with the destruction that the rabbits have unleashed upon the neighbourhood. 

“The rabbits are consuming plants, flowers, destroying lawns, gnawing on trees, creating holes in the ground, which poses a hazard and is dangerous especially for us seniors, because a lot of these holes are ankle breakers, it has also created a financial burden on residents for replacing plants and extensive lawn repairs,” a Swanavon resident told council. 

The name of the resident has been withheld as they have been the subject of harassment since the council delegation. 

About 30 residents who are frustrated with the rabbits in the area submitted a petition to city council. 

“We are very frustrated and exhausted, and we would like to see the City of Grande Prairie put measures in place to control the rabbit population, which is out of control,” said the resident.

City council directed administration to begin an education campaign immediately on the topic and also bring back options on “how to deal with the feral rabbit issue.”

One concern of the delegation is that some residents are feeding the feral rabbits.

“An educational campaign could start ASAP, reminding people this is actually against our bylaws,” said Mayor Jackie Clayton.

“Having feral rabbits and feeding them in their yard is not acceptable.”

The city’s bylaw says that wild animals cannot be fed; the website notes it can have significant impacts on local ecosystems and wildlife. 

The delegation noted that the problem of feral rabbits has existed in Swanavon for about five years. Residents have tried to deter rabbits from entering their yards with various methods, including water guns, slingshots, Bobbex and wolf urine.

Still, the rabbit population continues to increase. 

“Rapid reproduction is a significant factor in the population explosion of feral rabbits,” says an Alberta Invasive Species Council (AISC) report. 

The report states that rabbits can have three litters per year and can begin breeding as young as three months of age. A single litter typically consists of four to 12 kits. 

AISC also notes that the lifespan of rabbits is much shorter when living in the wild, at about 12-15 months, while in captivity rabbits live for about 10 years. 

The delegation noted that the rabbits are also attracting wildlife to the area, such as coyotes. 

Growing populations, and concerns

Feral rabbits are not a new issue for municipalities in Alberta. 

The Town of Canmore spent nearly $50,000 annually trying to track down and euthanize feral rabbits, but that was not what ultimately led to the elimination of feral rabbits there. 

The population contracted rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) that led to their deaths.

According to the federal government, death is common within one to five days of a rabbit contracting RHD.

RHD can spread to native rabbit and hare species, said AISC.

“The best way to prevent further spread of feral rabbits is to spread awareness about the dangers of releasing pets into the wild,” according to AISC. 

An education campaign was conducted in Grande Prairie in 2023, focusing on not feeding feral rabbits. 

“I didn't hear anything from anyone last year, so I thought that maybe the education campaign … had been working, to hear now that the issue is worse than it was, worst than it's ever been, that's a problem, and I really appreciate the immediate steps of an education campaign and then exploring what else is possible following that,” said Clayton.  

City chief public and protective services officer Dan Lemieux said he is not aware of any fines being issued for people feeding feral rabbits in the city.

“When we were notified of a particular resident that was suspected of feeding rabbits, we did knock on the door and have a conversation,” he said, noting it was more of an educational visit. “The challenge for us in enforcement is it's very difficult to enforce because we don't have access to private properties.”

The delegation stated that the problem is not limited to Swanavon and is spreading to other neighbourhoods. The group noted all residents should be aware of the issues feral rabbits can cause and the applicable bylaws.