Dead rabbit calls rise sharply in Calgary

The City of Calgary says an unusual number of unlucky white-tailed jackrabbits have kept road crews busy over the last couple of months.

Spokesperson Brittany Kustra says the number of calls coming into 3-1-1 about dead rabbits on the roads almost doubled in recent months compared to the same period last year.

"We did see an increase in the number of rabbits on the road this year," Kustra said.

"In February and March we did see a spike probably because of the warm weather, there were just more rabbits running around. But the numbers seem to have leveled off so we'll just keep paying attention to those numbers into the spring."

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For February and March of 2016, the city's 3-1-1 call centre received 228 calls about dead rabbits on city streets, up from 120 for the same period last year and 90 in 2014. 

Mario Csikos lives in Crescent Heights and says there's been a noticeable increase in the number of rabbits he's seeing.

"But they're friendly and they don't harm anybody," Csikos said.

They may not harm anyone but they certainly distract some visitors to the park, says Colleen Muth trying to manage her one-year-old twin grandchildren while walking her two dogs at the park. 

"Well they bother the dogs. When we walk the dogs, it's quite a nuisance because the dogs are always trying to chase them"

"They don't bother us, we don't bother them. They'll roam around, cross the street and sometimes you kind of have to worry not to run them over when you're driving, but they're okay."

A senior biologist with Alberta Fish and Wildlife says his department doesn't keep track of the number of jackrabbits in the city.

But Brett Boukall says more rabbits may have survived the winter because it was so warm and breeding season may be a bit earlier this year.

More bunnies may have been foraging near the road where the first bits of green grass tend to show up after the melt, he added.