Himalayan Rabbit - Raw - Carrot - CatNip - Tiger Eye - News

Today we are going to explore The Himalayan Rabbit Breed.
But first we are going to cover Rabbit Awareness Week which is from June 17th - 25th, 2017
This is the 11th year for Rabbit Awareness Week and the 2017 campaign is focusing on the importance of hay! #HoptoHay
RAW is run by a collaboration of organizations: The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund, The Blue Cross, PDSA, RSPCA, Wood Green, Burgess Pet Care and Agria Pet Insurance. This team pick a new theme each year and aim to provide information to both veterinary professionals and the general public about key aspects of rabbit care.
Many veterinary clinics sign up to RAW and offer a range of events and promotions – you can visit the RAW website to see who has signed up and whats on offer.
Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) is an important week for rabbits. Over the past 11 years we have made it the biggest and best campaign about rabbit care and welfare in the UK!
The UK is a nation of self-confessed pet lovers with recent research showing that rabbits are the 4th most popular pet in the UK with 0.8 million rabbits (PFMA Pet Population 2016 report). So we need to keep driving the messages about welfare for rabbits – especially for those pet owners who have got rabbits or are thinking about getting one!
Every year Burgess Pet Care, together with its partners Agria Pet Insurance, RSPCA, PDSA, The Blue Cross, Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) and Wood Green The Animals Charity join forces to focus on a different aspect of rabbit care and welfare.
During the RAW week thousands of vets and practices across the UK offer free health clinics for local rabbits and their owners. So it doesn't matter if your rabbits have never been to the vet before, it's the perfect opportunity to get them health checked by the experts!
Hundreds of retailers and rescue centers will be running fun and educational events to also spread the word about how to get the most out of pet rabbits by keeping them happy and healthy.
I feel that raising rabbit awareness should continue all year long and throughout many countries, so I urge you all to embrace RAW and continue it longer than just the suggested week.
Together we aim to improve the lives of the UK's rabbits and stop them getting a RAW deal!
http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/
http://www.rabbitawareness.co.uk/

you can also support the podcast, and help keep the lights on, whenever you use Amazon through the link at Hare of the Rabbit on the support the podcast page. It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what.

Although the Himalayan's name suggests that it originated in the Himalayas, it is unknown exactly where its origins lie. It strikes one strange that one of the very oldest rabbit breeds remains so unique today. Indeed, several of the earliest-developed breeds still seem one-of-a-kind. The Himalayan breed is even has a body type category all to itself! In the United States, there are several breeds with commercial, compact, or full-arch body type, but no other with cylindrical! The Himalayan is one of the oldest rabbit breeds we have today. They have been around for so long, we are not sure when they first appeared, or where they originated. Though some say they are indeed from the Himalayan mountain area, records of these rabbits are found is several regions of the old world.
History
Much of the history condensed from articles about the Himalayan Rabbit's History, written and compiled by Carl "Eli" Shepherd.
The Himalayan’s first appearance happened so long ago that its record has been lost. Some say it did indeed come from the Himalayan mountain area in the middle east, but the truth is that there are timeworn writings of it occurring in many areas of the old world.  Himalayans may have come to America during the “Belgian Hare boom” around 1900. They were one of the earliest breeds recognized in the United States.
1857 seems to offer the earliest mention of white rabbits with black points called “Africans.” The description bears no resemblance to today’s Himalayans, other than color. The source of these Himalayan-pointed “African” rabbits was nowhere near China or Africa – they were sports from crosses of tame Silver-Gray rabbits with local wild English Silver-Gray warren rabbits and some unspecified black rabbits, possibly also sourced from the warrens as the Silver-Grays were known to throw recessive black offspring.
The History of the Himalayan rabbit is very vague. There are many thoughts and theories of Himalayans. Actually there is no sound solid proof of where the Himalayan rabbit actually came from. There is little tangible evidence to indicate that it even came from the Himalayan Mountain area as many claim. Records indicate that this rabbit is known by over 20 names, which cause one writer to comment that "It is the most Christian rabbit having so many names." This rabbit is called, in various parts of the world, the Russian, the Chinese, the Egyptian, the Black Nose, and on and on. Himalayans are one of the oldest breeds of rabbit known throughout the world, dating back to ancient times in countries like China, Tibet, and Russia. It is one of the few breeds that was not man-made by crossing different breeds of rabbit. It is known as one of the oldest established breeds with a wider distribution throughout the world than any other rabbit. Himalayans, for the most part, will breed true to type and color.
It is believed at some remote time in its history, that its ancestors were Silver rabbits in part. As in some litters of today, at birth, soon seem to be white slightly tinged all over with silver gray, and some are almost a solid gray. The Silver-gray or the Solid gray gradually leaves the baby rabbit and its coat becomes snow white, with its extremities, (nose, ears, feet & tail) gradually darkening until they reach a rich, velvety Black, Blue, Chocolate or Lilac.
History of the Himalayans in the United States
Around the turn of the century, or real early 1900's, Himalayans were shipped into the united States from England, along with what he called the "Belgian Hare Boom." Most breeders of other breeds also had some Himalayans. As at that time, Himalayan fur was the best of all rabbit furs. Back then, they were known as the Ermine fur of rabbits. This was before Rex and Satin fur came along. Many raised them for their valuable fur, as well as to show. Eventually, breeders began to raise them to show, and they also became popular as pets.
The American Pet Stock Association recognized black Himalayans in 1912. Later, the American Rabbit and Cavy Association granted a charter to the American Himalayan Association in 1931. The club name was later changed to the current “American Himalayan Rabbit Association.”
History of the Blue Variety.
Let the records on Himalayans reveal that Black Himalayans are the only naturally occurring variety.
Other Varieties (colors) have been created by crossbreeding other breeds of rabbits to create the desired variety or color. The 2nd Variety of Himalayans were Blues. There are no accurate records on who or how the first Blue Himalayans were developed. Breeders in England worked for many years to create Blue Himalayans with many problems to attempt to correct to achieve the true Himalayan type on Blues. Their progress on Blues is very vague.
What we do know is Blue Himalayans were accepted at Tampa, Florida, on October 30th, 1962 by AHRA members. Only four AHRA members were present at this meeting. A motion by R. Hanson, that the Blue Himalayan be accepted by AHRA. Motion was seconded by Francis Riffle. And from that day on we have had Blue Himalayans as the second variety.
Interest in Blue Himalayans was not very strong for many years. A few dedicated breeders kept Blues alive. Blues were very scarce and very seldom seen in many parts of the United States.
It was reported that Don Lovejoy imported a pair of Blue Seniors and a Blue Junior Doe from England in 1963. No one seems to have any information on these imported blue Himalayans. A 1976 Himmie News stated that Diane Ford of California was to try for a Blue Himmie by crossing a Blue Havana doe. No records on how this venture turned out. Over the years there were several breeders who opposed the Blue variety very strongly. Especially one long time, well known breeder from Maryland. Lack of interest in Blues and a few breeders opposed to the Blue variety. A proposal was put to the AHRA membership to eliminate Blues as a variety of Himalayans in the early 1980's. This vote was very close. Blues survived only by a few votes. The Blue variety survived mainly due to the efforts of Ron Smelt of California. Due to Ron Smelt's efforts to save the Blue Variety, two additional varieties of Himalayans have been introduced by Ron Smelt of California. Which are Chocolate and Lilac marked Himalayans.
History of the Chocolate & Lilac Himalayans
By: Ron Smelt (A.H.R.A. Hall of Fame member).
He started with showing and breeding Himalayans in 1976.  At that time only Black Himalayans were obtainable in his area. Some of the active show people were David Holland, Dorothy Bayliss and Leonard Weir and Diane Ford, who were in the process of getting out of the breed.
He liked the Himalayan a lot and inherited the breed from Diane Ford. It was the perfect sized rabbit for him with the space he was able to give it. He liked the unique type and what he called an sophisticated look to the breed.
He realized right away that England showed the Himalayan in four varieties. Black, Blue, Chocolate and Lilac. Here in the US only in Black and Blue. He thought it would not be unpleasant to have all four colors showing against each other in the US. He felt that with the four colors would create interest and as a result competition. During this time he also was told by the late Don Lovejoy, that the Himalayan was a dying breed. He did not want to except this and felt that his goal was to try and create interest in this breed and so the mission was set for him to do my part and find a way. He realized that this quest to have the Chocolate and Lilac Himalayans become excepted would be a long one. He felt that he needed support of others who were interested in the idea of having four colors in the standard. Several people he talked to felt that the only good Himalayan was a black Himalayan. A few persons supported him in his quest. Some only liked the Chocolates and did not care for the idea of Lilac Himalayans. The first few years were difficult ones.
In the late 70's he corresponded with a Himalayan breeder Mr. Fred Nellis who lived in England. He told him how they got the Chocolate gene introduced into the Himalayans was with the use of the English Spot. English Spots from time to time produced Solid colored animals. An English Spot breeder by the name of Linda Bell of California called him up one day and said she had a chocolate doe for him. This was bred to a small black 3 1/2 lb. buck from Dorothy and George Bayliss. This cross produced all solid black offspring. They were bred together and the first Chocolate marked appeared. These then were bred to other black Himalayans and then mated to each other and the rabbits were beginning to look like Himalayans. Some of these early chocolates were rather large and lacked the refined look. Through line breeding a smaller, finer boned chocolate Himalayan developed. (In 1992 Chocolates Passed first ARBA Showing, Columbus, OH)
The Chocolate Himalayan was then bred to the Blue Himalayan and from in-breeding the first Lilac Himalayan appeared. These lilacs were dark lilacs, you can tell the difference when you put them next to a blue. When presenting them to the Standards Committee, they did not like the color, it was too dark and too close to the blue. So what to do? He had reached a brick wall. He had locked in the dark Lilac color into his himmies.
At the same time Judy Ball, a Mini Rex breeder, was also trying to get the Lilac Mini Rex accepted by the ARBA Standards Committee. The Standards Committee liked her color Mini Rex Lilacs. An idea went into his head to introduce this color liked by the Standards Committee into the Lilac Himalayans. He knew that he would be introducing a Non-Himalayan gene as well as Mini Rex fur into the Himalayans, and in line breeding and in-breeding this Rex gene would materialize some where down the road. He made a difficult decision and was afraid that his present dark Lilac Himalayans would not pass the Standards Committee since he was told the lighten them, and so he did. The first cross was his purchased Mini Rex Lilac Buck (from Judy Ball) bred to a Lilac Himalayan Doe. All the babies were Lilac, and to his surprise two of them were Himalayan marked, the rest solid. He lucked out again with the two Himalayan-marked Lilacs were buck and doe. They both turned out to be rather coarse and so lacked refinement. They produced lighter Himalayans, and the color he was looking for. The Lilacs became the 4th Himalayan color to be recognized.
With selective breeding and culling refinement in the Lilac Himalayan returned, with an added bonus of better fur quality. Now the problem of the Non-Himmie gene and the rex gene will be floating around in some of these himmies, but he feels we can cull this out since there were only a few of these Lilacs passed on to other breeders.
These past fifteen years of trying to have Chocolate Himalayans and Lilac Himalayans accepted into the ARBA Standards Committee have been fun with some heart-ache and lots of challenges and he is so glad to have been able to do it.
As we have covered in some of the breeds where one breed is crossed to create another, The Himalayan also plays an important part in many other breed's history, especially the Californian's, which looks like a large, meaty version of it. The Californian was made by crossing Himalayans with New Zealands and a few other breeds (some Californian breeders say it is just Himalayan and New Zealand, while others say the Standard Chinchilla was mixed in too). The Californian was added to many other breeds (like Champagne d'Argents and some lines of Cinnamon) to improve body type, so Himalayan marked sports pop up sometimes.
Overall Description
Description and Standards

Himalayans are long and snaky in body, the only rabbit breed with this body type, which is described as “sophisticated” by Mr. Smelt.
They are mainly white, with color limited to the points – ears, nose, paws and tail. The eyes are red. They are small, weighing up to 4.5 pounds (2 kg) according to standards in the USA and UK.
The Himalayan generally breeds true in type and color. But occasionally, some newborn Himalayan kits are tinged with silver, and others are nearly solid gray. Not to worry - the pigmentation eventually leaves the baby kit, and its coat turns snow white. At the same time, its points darken to nearly black (or blue, chocolate, or lilac).
Body
The Himalayan rabbit is medium-sized breed of rabbit easily mistaken for the Californian rabbit. The body is white with colored points, recognized colors are black, blue, chocolate and lilac. They are one of the oldest and calmest breeds. Adult Himalayans weigh 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds (1 to 2 kg) with an ideal weight of 3 1/2 pounds. They are the only breed that is classified in shows as cylindrical. They are judged in a stretched-out position. They are posed stretched out, and their body is to be 3.5 head lengths.
The Himalayan is posed with the body fully extended – stretched out as far as it will go while all four feet remain flat on the table. European Himalayans and American Himalayans have different poses. On most breeds, the top line of the body should be very round, but on a “Himie” it should be flat as possible. When looking at a posed Himalayan from above, the side body lines should be straight also, with little or no taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders.  Fur is a fly-back. All Himies are white with red eyes and colored markings on the points. Markings include an egg-shaped “smut” on the nose, colored “boots” on the feet, and colored ears and tail. The markings are black, blue, chocolate, or lilac, but the body is always pure white. The Himie color is found as a variety in a number of other breeds, such as Mini Rex and Netherland Dwarf. It’s called Californian in the Cal, Satin, and Rex, and pointed white in Jersey Woolies, lops, and angoras. The color can vary with the surrounding temperature: points become darker in colder climates and lighter in warmer ones. In fact, a rabbit can even develop a dark spot if it lies against a cold metal object such as a feed cup on a winter night.
Color differences:
The black color variety is the only one in the Himalayan that was not produced by crossbreeding. Other acceptable colors are blue, chocolate, and lilac. This breed is born solid white, but its colored markings develop with age.
Coat
A Himalayan rabbit’s fly-back fur is short, soft and doesn’t need much maintenance in order to keep its healthy sheen. Should you find your Himalayan rabbit is shedding more than usual (such as during spring), simply brush their fur 2-3 times per week or as required. Otherwise, a weekly brushing with spot-cleaning using a damp cloth should more than sufficient.
Colors
The Himalayan rabbit is well known for its markings, which are similar to the Himalayan cats'. The Himalayan rabbit’s body is always white with different colored markings. The markings include colored “boots”, an egg-shaped marking on its nose and a colored tail and ears. The markings can be black, blue, chocolate or lilac. This coloration is due to a heat-sensitive enzyme on the Himalayan’s body that creates a brown pigment melanin. This enzyme is active on the parts of the body where the Himalayan rabbit is discolored, such as their ears, nose, feet and tail.The markings change with age and environment. The colder weather may darken markings, enlarge markings, and also add markings around the eyes and genitals (vent smut). These markings are not a disqualification because it is not on the usable portion of the pelt. If the markings spread into the usable portion of the pelt, such as into the belly or on the pin bones, it is a disqualification. Warmer weather may lighten markings, shrink markings, and cause white hairs in markings (known as "frosting"). In extreme warm weather, a Himalayan may even develop light or white toenails. Chocolate and lilac Himalayans usually have bigger markings than blacks and blues, and are more likely to develop disqualifying markings, known as "smut". Himalayans may develop smut after just ten minutes of contact to cold objects. Baby Himalayans are especially sensitive to temperature. Most babies in the warmth of the nest will look the same as albino babies (because Himalayans can only produce eumelanin under a certain temperature and they cannot produce pheomelanin at all.) If a nest gets too cold or a baby falls out, they will get dark bands on their fur. This varies from looking to off-white to looking chinchilla-colored, and it causes confusion among many novice breeders. Because of their constantly changing colors, most Himalayan breeders do not look at markings as a factor when making breeding plans. A baby who was chilled in the nest box is often called "frosty," which is not to be confused with frosted pearl.
Genetics
Himalayans are known for having a double copy of the ch gene. They also have a black color, which is probably caused by a double copy of the a (self) gene. Then there are the variations with the B gene (chocolate) and the D gene (dilute). A Himalayan with bb will show up as chocolate, a Himalayan with dd will show up as blue and a Himalayan with both bb and dd will show up as lilac.
The Himalayan gene (ch) has been bred into many other breeds, they lack marking modifiers so they often show up with smaller, lighter markings.
Things to Avoid:
Rabbits with short, close coupled type, or an arch or taper in the top or side lines. Heavy hips, large bone, or large rabbits. Fat rabbits or animals with pot bellies are faulted. A dewlap is a disqualification. Full, bulldog type head, or pinched muzzle. Thick ears, ears shaped like spoons, or ears that are spread apart. Unmatched toenails are a disqualification. Fur that is long, harsh, uneven, or hutch stained is a fault. Eye stains are a minor fault. Smut (dark color) is a disqualification on any useable part of the pelt, and white spots in any marking is a disqualification. Markings that have stray white hairs, are not clean cut, are frosty, brassy, or are unequal.
Himalayans commonly have an extra set of teats.
Diet
Like other rabbits, the Himalayan will benefit from a diet that consists of high-quality hay and Pellets and the rest of a healthy mix of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and pellets. There are plenty types of pellets and hay available on the market, some with higher protein content than the other depending on your budget. Be aware of what kid of fruits, leafy greens and vegetables you have in your home as some are rabbit-safe and others are not. In fact, most leafy greens are unsafe as they can cause digestive issues, especially if you feed your rabbit a large amount of it. Feed your rabbit greens that are high in fiber and nutrients, such as romaine lettuce, and be aware of what kind of fruits you’re feeding (nothing that is too high in sugar).
Health
The Himalayan rabbit is not susceptible to any particular health issues like Wool block. They do require regular checking in a few places such as their ears (for mites), their coat and backsides (for flystrike) and their teeth (for overgrown teeth).
Overgrown teeth can protrude into your rabbit’s face and jaw and be painful. Symptoms include a loss of appetite, droppings and overall less movement from your rabbit.
When a rabbit’s coat is soiled with feces, urine or other unpleasantness, flies may like to call your rabbit’s bottom their home. They can lay their eggs and once the eggs have hatched, they will eat your rabbit’s flesh while they are alive in order to get the nutrients to grow. This is painful for your rabbit and can cause death. If you believe your rabbit may have contracted fly-strike, take them to your local veterinarian immediately for treatment.
Temperament/behavior
Himalayans are a unique breed. There is no other breed as gentle and easy to handle. Their gentle, loving nature puts them in a class unto itself. Their small size and weight allows for smaller cage space and lower feed bills than many other breeds of rabbit. These rabbits are remarkably docile and loving, making them a wonderful choice for 4-H projects or a child’s pet. The Himalayan rabbit is gentle and patient, making them the perfect pet for families with young children or seniors. Himalayans are known for their easy-going and docile temperament. This coupled with their small size makes them an excellent choice for children wanting to start raising and showing rabbits.
This rabbit’s small size makes it ideal for smaller hands to carefully pick up. In fact, this breed of rabbit is not known to scratch or bite humans, making them the perfect pet for families with young children or seniors looking for a furry companion to add some color to their life. They are generally calm-natured animals who don’t mind being picked up, petted and handled and unlike other high-energy rabbits, Himalayans are not particularly active.
Having said that, they do require plenty of time out of their enclosures not only to socialize and bond with their human family but also to stretch their legs and catch some sunshine.
Rabbits are not impossible to litter train, however they are significantly more challenging than training, let’s say, a dog or a cat. They have the tendency to “go” anywhere they please. To remedy this requires plenty of patience…and lots of litter boxes. Place a few litter boxes around your home where you find your Himalayan tends to do the deed and with lots of hard work (and rewards!), you should be well on your way to litter-training your little rabbit.
Make sure their enclosure is large enough so they can comfortably stretch out of their full size and although Himalayans are relatively small, they are long so make sure you purchase the correct enclosure size.
uses
Rabbits tend to be bred for one of four things: meat, fur, show, or pet use. Himalayans are popular both as show rabbits and as pets. They have fine bone and a skinny body, and, unlike many other breeds, were never raised primarily for meat. This breed's main purpose is for showing, but in its past, it was raised for its white pelt.
Club
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) maintains the breed standard for all of the recognized rabbit and cavy breeds for it's international membership. Recognized breeds are eligible for Registration and Grand Champion recognition. The AMERICAN RABBIT BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC. is an organization dedicated to the promotion, development, and improvement of the domestic rabbit and cavy.
The British Rabbit Council (BRC) is a British showing organization for rabbit breeders. Today, the BRC among other things investigates rabbit diseases, maintains a catalog of rabbit breeds, and sets rules for about 1,000 rabbit shows annually in the UK.
Today all four varieties are recognized in both the UK and the USA. The Black variety, however remain a popular variety. Himalayans are easy to find in most areas and breeders are easily found online
Have I Missed Anything about the Himalayan? If you know something about the breed standard, history or status of the Himalayan rabbit, please let me know. Do you have a story about the Himalayan Breed? What do you love about them? Do you have any tips or tricks up your sleeve for what might make this breed happiest? Perhaps you're a breeder of the Himalayan rabbit. Let me know, and maybe we can set up an interview?
http://www.himalayanrabbit.com/breed_history.htm
http://himalayanrabbit.com/
http://www.raising-rabbits.com/himalayan-rabbit.html
http://rabbitbreeders.us/himalayan-rabbits
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/rabbit-breeds/himalayan-rabbit-breed-information/
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/critters/rabbits/HimalayanRabbit.php
http://ahra2001.tripod.com/history.html
http://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/himalayan-rabbit/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_rabbit

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Plant of the Week:  Carrot
Word of the Week:  Catnip

A Rabbit Story
http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/tft/tft38.htm
The voice of the wolf is a sign to the sheep.
Tibetan Proverb.

ONCE upon a time there were two neighbor families, one family composed of an old mother bear and her son and the other of an old mother rabbit and her son. The children kept the house while the two mothers went out to dig roots. The rabbit's claws were sharp and quick and she got the most. This made the old bear mad so she killed the rabbit and took the dead body and roots home, although she couldn't dig very many, as her claws were dull. The little rabbit waited and waited and could not understand why his mother didn't come home. Finally he slipped over to the old bear's house to see what he could discover. He peeped in and saw that the old bear was cooking his mother, and she and her son sat down and ate her all up. He felt dreadfully bad and began to think of revenge, and said to himself: "Some day I will get even with them."

One day the old mother bear went out to carry water, and while she was gone the little rabbit heated an arrow red hot and shot the little bear in the ear and killed him. Then he took his mother's sack which the old bear had stolen with the roots in it and carried it away with him. As he went up the mountain he met a tiger and said to him, "There is a bear coming after me, Mr. Tiger, won't you save me and find a place for me to hide?" "All right, you crawl in my ear and that bear will never find you."

The old mother bear returned, bringing her kang of water, and found her son dead. She said, "The young rabbit has done this. I shall follow him and kill him." So, going after the rabbit, she came upon the tiger and asked, "Have you seen a fellow with gray fur and long ears any-where? If you don't tell me the truth I will kill you." The tiger answered, "Don't talk to me that way, for I could kill you without very much trouble." And the old bear went on. The rabbit sat there in the tiger's ear eating some of the roots he had in his sack and the tiger could hear him munching away, and asked: "What are you eating?" "My own eye-ball," he answered. The tiger said, "Give me one, they seem very good." The rabbit handed him a root, the tiger ate and said, "That's very good. Let's take my eye-balls out and eat them, and if I am blind, since I saved you from this bear, you will take care of me and lead me around, will you not?" The rabbit said, "I will do that all right." So he dug out the tiger's two eye-balls and handed him some roots to eat in place of them. Then he went on leading the tiger, who now was blind, right up to the side of a big steep cliff, where he told him to lie down and go to sleep. Then he built a big fire on the other side of the tiger, who got so hot that when he moved away he fell over the cliff and killed himself.
The rabbit now went to a shepherd and told him, "There is a dead tiger up there, you can go and cut him up." Then he went to the wolf and said, "The shepherd is gone and you can go kill some sheep." Then he went to the raven and said, "You can go and pick the little wolves' eyes out, as their mother is gone to kill a sheep." Now the rabbit had done so much harm he thought he had better run away. He went into a far country and I expect he still dwells there.

News

Campaign aims to put Hungarian rabbit, popular abroad, on local plates

https://bbj.hu/economy/campaign-aims-to-put-hungarian-rabbit-popular-abroad-on-local-plates-_134133

Hungaryʼs government and rabbit farming professionals launched a national campaign to boost consumption of rabbit meat on Friday, Hungarian news agency MTI reported.
István Nagy, state secretary at the Agriculture Ministry, said that while Hungary is Europeʼs biggest exporter of rabbit meat, it is on the bottom rung when it comes to domestic consumption of the healthy meat, which is low in cholesterol and fat, as well as being easy to prepare.
Hungarians consume just 200-300 grams of rabbit meat per capita each year, while residents of Mediterranean countries eat more than 2 kg, he added.
Róbert Juráskó, who heads the Rabbit Product Council, said healthy, easy to digest rabbit meat should be on Hungarian familiesʼ tables at least once a week.

St. Louis Families Would Be Permitted 8 Chickens, Rabbits Under New Proposal

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2017/06/12/st-louis-families-would-be-permitted-8-chickens-rabbits-under-new-proposal

A bill introduced at the Board of Aldermen last week would allow St. Louis families to keep up to eight chickens or rabbits on a normal-sized city lot — a sizable increase to what's currently permitted.
Under existing city ordinances, St. Louis residents are allowed no more than four pets total, and chickens and rabbits have no special classification. If you have three dogs and one chicken, for example, you've reached the cap.

But the new bill, sponsored by Alderwoman Cara Spencer and Christine Ingrassia, carves out a framework for small farm animals, namely chickens and rabbits, that is separate from pets. It would also allow one Vietnamese potbelly pig per household, although other large farm animals and roosters both remain expressly prohibited.

The new regulations are part of a broader effort to encourage urban farming within St. Louis.

The alderwomen worked with the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, seeking to bring the city's ordinances that affect urban agriculture in line with best practices in other cities. The coalition's survey, which involved more than 850 people, found broad support for such reforms locally.

An additional proposal from Ingrassia and Spencer would allow St. Louis residents to sell eggs, honey and produce from the property where they are grown, without costly business licenses.

Says Ingrassia, "It's all about letting people have easier access to food, and to make the city more sustainable." Selling home-grown produce won't make anyone rich, she acknowledges. "But if you can make a few extra bucks, that's a good thing."

Last year, a proposal to increase to six the number of chickens owned by city households couldn't attain passage at the Board of Aldermen. Spencer, for one, believes this year may be different.

"With the new energy on the board and more progressives on it, we should be able to get this passed," she says. She urges all of those interested in the issue to contact their alderman or woman to seek their support.

Sharon J. Mixdorf (1962-2017)

http://wcfcourier.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/sharon-j-mixdorf/article_4729793d-e6d5-5a2d-bdc2-71b97dd76abb.html
DENVER -- Sharon Jane Mixdorf, 55, of Denver, died at home Saturday, June 10, from complications of breast cancer.

She was born June 6, 1962, in Marshfield, Wis., daughter of Stanley and Joan Welch Fait. On May 30, 1992, she married Eric Mixdorf in Marshfield.

She graduated from Marshfield Columbus High School in 1980. Sharon lived in Marshfield, Waterloo and Denver and worked as a pet and dog groomer for 22 years, most recently at Brookside Veterinary Hospital in Cedar Falls. She was a member of the Bremer County Genealogical Society, Pet Pals, Iowa State Dutch Rabbit Club, Iowa State Rabbit Breeders Association, Collie Club of America, American English Spot Rabbit Club and was a life member of the American Rabbit Breeders Association and the American Dutch Rabbit Club. Sharon also was the director of the Upper Midwest Dutch Rabbit Club, the secretary of the Waterloo Area Rabbit Breeders Association, and was the Rabbit Show secretary at the National Cattle Congress Fair.

Survived by: her husband; her mother of Marshfield; five sisters, Nancy (Leon) LeClair of Two Rivers, Wis., Linda (Dan) Neve of Marshfield, Mary Lou (Rich) Volk of Arpin, Wis., Patty (Jim) Shaw of Marshfield and Kathy (Tony) Kuhlka of Hewitt, Wis.; a brother, Michael (Gayle) Fait of Marshfield; two sisters-in-law, Pat Bitel and Brenda (Patrick) Wellner; four brothers-in-law, Darrell Gates of Pittsville, Wis., Richard (Kathy) Mixdorf, David (Rhonda) Mixdorf and Brian (Esther) Mixdorf; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: her father; and her twin sister, Karen Gates.

Services: 2 p.m. Friday, June 16, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Waterloo, with burial in Garden of Memories. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at Parrott & Wood Chapel of Memories, Waterloo.

Memorials: may be directed to the family.

Condolences may be left at www.overtonservice.com.

Sharon enjoyed reading, camping, swimming, canoeing, rabbit shows and exotic animal swaps.

New Species of Cottontail Rabbit Identified: Sylvilagus parentum

http://www.sci-news.com/biology/sylvilagus-parentum-suriname-lowland-forest-cottontail-04951.html

new species of cottontail rabbit (genus Sylvilagus) has been described from the lowlands of western Suriname by Portland State University Professor Luis Ruedas.
The Suriname lowland forest cottontail (Sylvilagus parentum). Image credit: UOL / IUCN.

The Suriname lowland forest cottontail (Sylvilagus parentum). Image credit: UOL / IUCN.

Prof. Ruedas made the discovery after studying rabbit specimens at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands.

The specimens were collected in the 1980s by Dutch scientists during the fieldwork in Suriname.

The researcher studied the anatomy of the specimens and determined they were larger and shaped differently than other rabbits throughout South America.

He named the newfound species the Suriname lowland forest cottontail.

The scientific name of the species, Sylvilagus parentum, honors Prof. Ruedas’ parents, Patricio Ruedas Younger and Paloma Martín Daza.

“The rabbit discovery in South America could affect how animal species are identified as unique, which is an important step when determining if a species is endangered,” Prof. Ruedas said.

“It could also lead to conservation efforts in Suriname, where environmental degradation is threatening the rabbit’s habitat.”

Sylvilagus parentum is relatively large for a South American cottontail.

The species measures 15.3 inches (39 cm) in head and body length and 10 inches (2.5 cm) in tail length.

The length of the ears is about 2.4 inches (6 cm).

The average mass is around 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg).

The new species is described in a paper recently published in the online edition of the Journal of Mammalogy.

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Luis A. Ruedas. A new species of cottontail rabbit (Lagomorpha: Leporidae: Sylvilagus) from Suriname, with comments on the taxonomy of allied taxa from northern South America. Journal of Mammalogy, published online May 17, 2017; doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx048

A new species of cottontail rabbit (Lagomorpha: Leporidae: Sylvilagus) from Suriname, with comments on the taxonomy of allied taxa from northern South America
https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jmammal/gyx048/3828752/A-new-species-of-cottontail-rabbit-Lagomorpha?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Abstract
Of the 19 currently recognized species of Sylvilagus Gray, 1867, 15 inhabit North America, and only 5 are recognized in South America: S. brasiliensis Linnaeus, 1758 (throughout most of the continent); S. varynaensis Durant and Guevara, 2001, restricted to the southern lowlands of Venezuela (states of Barinas, Portuguesa, and Guarico); S. andinus (Thomas, 1897) from the Andean páramos of Ecuador and potentially in a sporadic manner to the Colombian and Venezuelan páramos; and S. tapetillus Thomas, 1913, from the coastal plain in the region of Rio de Janeiro. In addition to these, putative subspecies of S. floridanus, primarily a North American taxon, nominally are recognized from the grassland plains areas of northwestern South America east of the Andes. While S. varynaensis and S. tapetillus are monotypic, S. brasiliensis contains at least 37 named taxa in synonymy, distributed in various habitats; S. andinus requires further study. As a result of the recent description of a neotype for S. brasiliensis, it is now possible to assess species limits and begin the process of illuminating formerly obscured biological diversity in South American cottontails. Here, I describe a new species of Sylvilagus from the lowlands of western Suriname, and excise S. sanctaemartaeHershkovitz, 1950 from synonymy with S. brasiliensis.