Massive die out of European rabbits in Porto Santo Island: hunting disaster or conservation opportunity?

These actions have always to consider the likely impacts and science can assist on that. In this case for conservation reasons all the scientific evidence is against this action.

A very interesting, well-writen proposal.

Stop waste of public money!

Protect the animals and the environment, it's the future of our children.

Assino e divulgo.

Prof. Auxiliar do Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Coordenador do Herbário João de Carvalho e Vasconcellos (LISI).

Think of the consequences of reintroducing invasive species in a ecosystem.

I have seen first-hand the damage that European rabbits can do to an island ecosystem. Please take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of this invasive species.

A ignorância é sempre atrevida

Total agree with the scientific arguments. I saw it personally.

The hunters said: we hunt rabbits, because they harm the vegetation of the island. Now they are gone and the hunters say: we need new rabbits, because hunting the pests is fun too. This is a bit crazy?

Stop killing animals!

Preserve your wonderful native habitat!

Ecological suicide

The global damage done by rabbits is widely recognised, an opportunity to have an island habitat free from rabbits, or at least reprieved, is very valuable.

I support all statements in this article. Rabbits are an authentic threat for native island biodiversity. There is an overwhelming evidence that this is so.

Please do not re-introduce non-native rabbits. You have a wonderful opportunity to protect your biodiversity, particularly native plants.

Stupid activity from human beings, again....

I have personally shot somewhere near 1K goats here in Hawaii on different isles over decades because they are essentially genetically identical escaped farm animals that as you point out, have permanently ruined many island ecosystems world wide. Rabits are equally bad. Now is the time to remove them from Porto Santo for good and the EU needs to know the ecological catastrophe they could be indirectly funding.

Thank you for protecting native species and wildlife.