My House Rabbit's Blog » environment http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog Celebrating House Rabbits Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:22:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Radioactive Rabbit Poop http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2009/10/11/radioactive-rabbit-poop/ http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2009/10/11/radioactive-rabbit-poop/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:22:47 +0000 My House Rabbit http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/?p=739 Although it may sound like a plot point in a comic book, there is actually radioactive rabbit poop in Hanford, Washington. As it happens 50 million gallons of liquid waste laced with radioactive salts were dumped in a radioactive reservation in  Hanford more than 40 years ago. The dumping area is home to many jackrabbits. The rabbits’ warrens abut some of the dumping sites and the rabbits often lick the radioactive salt.

Recent stimulus money has aided the clean-up of the rabbit poop, which has trace amounts of radioactivity. Previously, large swaths of earth were dug out and disposed of to rid the area of the radioactive poop. Now, a helicopter is used to spot and map the piles of poop for crews to come in and clean up.

For more, visit the Seattle Post Inquisitor.

]]> http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2009/10/11/radioactive-rabbit-poop/feed/ 1 New England Cottontails in Decline http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2008/11/06/new-england-cottontails-in-decline/ http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2008/11/06/new-england-cottontails-in-decline/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:05:59 +0000 My House Rabbit http://myhouserabbit.com/blog/?p=171 Once ranging throughout all the states of New England, the New England cottontail population has plummeted in recent years. Their range has dwindled by 75% and they can no longer be found in Vermont.

Researchers believe the decline is caused by the change in environment.  New England cottontails thrive in young forests (forests 25 years old or less) that include a lot of shrubs and thickets.   They also rely on interbreeding between cottontail populations in order to produce healthier, more genetically diverse offspring.

Unfortunately for New England cottontails, forests have been growing for 100 years after the decline of colonial agriculture in 1900, which means the shrubs and thickets have given way to trees. Furthermore, the landscape has been divided by housing development and roads, making it very difficult for the rabbit populations to mix.

For more info:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081105-LIFE-811050355
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwcotontail.htm

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