Thousands of bunnies to be moved from park
As many as 2 000 bunnies at the Bunny Park are set to be relocated to other animal parks.
About 70 of the bunnies have been placed inside the new enclosed area inside the park.
This comes with the completion of renovations to the Bunny Park, with this year’s Ekurhuleni budget.
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said there are too many bunnies in the park, which results in all the grass being eaten and visitors to the Bunny Park asking for grass to be planted.
Caretaker at the park Gideon Strydom said enclosing the bunnies is a strategy to resolve these public complaints.
“However, I personally prefer it if the bunnies are left outside to be free,” he said.
Gadebe said an official assessment will be done in consultation with the SPCA, to see how many bunnies can be kept on the Bunny Parks’s premises.
He confirmed that there are currently approximately 2 000 of these animals in the park, and around 60 to 70 inside the enclosed area.
He added that an illness (believed to be mange) which some of the bunnies carry does not have an influence on this initiative.
“The problem is the excess of bunnies and the metro not being able to grass the Bunny Park,
“If the bunnies are kept in the enclosure (which was built for this purpose), the metro will be able to grass the Bunny Park and in doing so provide for the needs of the community,” he said.
According to Strydom, the bunnies that are currently in the enclosed area will be kept and the rest will be donated to a selection of parks.
“They will not be given to lion or cheetah parks,” he said.
“They will be placed in proper care.”
Clr Gerrie Kriek, in whose ward the Bunny Park falls, said he is glad if some of the weaker bunnies are being kept separately, but he still would like some of the bunnies to run free.
“The park is a bit dull in the winter, but in the summer there is more than enough grass; everything grows beautifully,”he said.
“There is more than enough nutrition and a new irrigation system was installed around the park to help growth,” he said.
He added that bunnies have always run freely within the park, that families are used to this and that, with supervision in place, it can be ensured that none of the bunnies are mistreated.
He said he will fight for this ideal to remain the same.
Strydom said he is working together with the Benoni SPCA, to identify and rid the park of the illness affecting some of the bunnies.
Instead of building enclosures for the bunnies rather build enclosed ares for the people where the bunnies can’t get in.
This idea is ridiculous. Rather build enclosure for the humans. The whole attraction is a “Bunny” Park. People go there for the bunnies running around. The excitement for the kids to try and encourage a bunny to come close to them. Have a separate area where the humans can have what they want. We don’t go there to see caged bunnies. You’ll end up having 100 people standing around an enclosure throwing carrots at bunnies.
If you complaining about not having grass to walk on, buy a pair of crocs.
It isn’t a bunny park if the bunnies are enclosed in a separate area. Just because a couple of stupid people complained the whole tradition are being removed. that is just bullcrap
Would it not be easier, to put up temporary movable fencing, that can keep bunnies out of an area, in order to give the grass a chance to grow? That way it can be utilized where needed, and bunnies and humans can be free to enjoy the park.
The bunny park has long since held a special place in our families heart we have photos dating back 5-10-15-20-25-30 even 40 ish years with all generations posing in front of FREE bunnies feeding them – seriously if u going to put the bunnies in enclosures you may as well add them to the list of animals to go see in the zoo – I live in Rynfid – the fact that the bunny park is deemed a taxi rank during the week is enough to keep long time visitors like myself away – even on weekends ! Free the bunnies!!!!!!!
What I would like to see is the bunny park being open to at least 5 pm on the weekends in summer. 4pm is ridiculous ;(