Greek island declares war on wild rabbits

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2005

ATHENS (AFP) — Farmers on the Greek island of Lemnos have declared war on a plague of wild rabbits which they say is destroying thousands of hectares of wheat and vines, local officials said.

Under pressure from landholders, who claim to have lost over 2,000 hectares (4,800 acres) of planted crops to the rabbit scourge, local officials want the government to lift restrictions on hunting to enable an island-wide cull.

"There's thousands of them," Lemnos deputy prefect Thodoris Baveas told AFP on Thursday. "Just by driving at night you can hit a couple each time, there's that many."

The Lemnos authorities want to permit night-time hunts, which are banned in Greece, as the rabbits stay hidden during daytime.

Speaking after a meeting with farmers on...