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

Great initiative. Right to the point. Doomed to fail, though. Bad.* * Trumpspeak

Let's keep Porto Santo's fauna and flora save!

This decision puts at risk the entire endemic flora of Porto Santo, plants that exist nowhere else in the world.

Rabbits = ravaged ecosystems!

Because we have more to gain from the plants than from the rabbits

A unique opportutiny to undo the introduction of rabbits and its devastating effects to the island presents itself, and instead of seizing this opportunity with both hands, the authorities, egged on by the hunting lobby, propose to ship in more of these animals to perpetuate the ecological disaster just so hunters can keep killing their favourite game animals. This is madness...

It is incredible!! Rabbit isbine of the most dangerous animal for flora, especially in islands. Crazy decision..

Reforçar um especie invasora numa ilha ??? Nao faz sentido nenhum !!! A ilha tem mais a ganhar com ecoturismo do que com a caça. Preservar tambem da lucro !! Mas há de certeza mais turistas a visitar uma ilha preservada na forma o mais natural possivel, do que turistas a querer visitar a ilha para matar coelhos.

They must be crazy to even consider placing rabbits on that island. Do they live two centuries ago with their minds. Absolutely embarrassing!!

As a hunter I am appalled that we would not try and eradicate an invasive species from an island where this species has already caused a lot of environmental damage. Conservation concerns should always come first!

I'm totally against the introduction of rabbits in that island!

Wait what? Isto é a sério? Em vez de aproveitarem esta oportunidade para erradicar a espécie de vez, querem reforçar o efetivo populacional? Como é que o ICNF sequer está de acordo com isto??

Continuamos a detruir os nossos habitats, por ignorância????

In 600 years we have now a unique oportunity.... to do ecological restoration and habitat and environmental recovery.... The introduction of rabbits willl simply "kill" this opportunity

The planned reinforcement of the rabbit population in Porto Santo would go against a century of afforestation efforts for avoiding soil erosion and would send a mixed message in terms of nature conservation that could possible compromise future EU funding.

Please, let history not repeat itself again and learn from the lesson of the 15th century's introduction of the rabbit: stop the introduction of 2017!

Totalmente de acordo

This is a very important issue. I have seen the massive destruction from the introduction of other oceanic islands.

I agree totally. This is even more important for an island that is small and has serious problems with desertification

The first settlers of most oceanic islands were largely unaware of the long-term consequences of the introduction of alien mammals. Sadly, this resulted in multiple extinctions and to irreparable damage to insular ecosystems. We now know that invasive mammals are among the primary threats to island biodiversity and that many, despite being prised game species, represent a serious ecological, economic and public health issue. We therefore advocate that extinctions and population collapses of alien invasive species that pose a serious threat to insular communities should be seen as a conservation opportunity to restore island ecosystems. Ricardo Rocha, PhD candidate Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, University of Lisbon University of Madeira, Faculty of Life Sciences Metapopulation Research Centre, University of Helsinki Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute & National Institute of Amazonian Research