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Keller @ Large: Boston's Bunny Boom

BOSTON (CBS) -- The experts can't prove it, but sometimes anecdotal evidence and what you see with your own eyes is enough--we are living through a boom in the rabbit population here in Greater Boston.

Does this look familiar? It seems like they're everywhere, not just in the leafy suburbs either. The Globe reports they've been spotted in South Boston, in Somerville, in front of the State House. For whatever reason, they appear to be more brazen than in the past, less alarmed by the proximity of humans or other animals.

bunnies rabbits
(WBZ-TV)

Don't get me wrong, I am a hopeless animal lover. I like rabbits as well as the next guy, and I really don't mind that they nibble on my perennials. However, if they go after the tomatoes come August, I may have to re-think my benevolent policies.

As I said, the invasion seems to involve a more fearless breed of rabbit, and they certainly have nothing to fear from my friend Buddy the Lab, who seems only interested in chasing the rabbits who've taken up residence in my yard if I throw a ball in their direction.

Buddy the Lab
Buddy the Lab. (Photo courtesy: Jon Keller)

So the question remains: Why are we experiencing this explosion of the rabbit population? There are many possible answers.

Rabbit habitats are usually meadows and forests, but maybe our ever-growing encroachment on the countryside has led them to adapt to urban and suburban living. Maybe they've developed a taste for sushi and other trendy food scraps. Rabbits have a reputation for being skittish, but maybe they figure it's our turn to start worrying.

Or maybe the Great Boston Rabbit Population Explosion of 2017 isn't due to something we're doing, but something they're doing?

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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