Thousands of rabbits 'eating away at Scottish island' to be culled
Thousands of rabbits are to be culled on the tiny Scottish island of Canna to stop them destroying it.
The rabbits' burrowing has caused a major landslide, uncovered graves and damaged important archaeological sites.
According to the Daily Mail, the island's owner, the National Trust for Scotland, says it will "drastically" reduce the number of rabbits on Canna.
There is an estimated 16,000 rabbits on the island and just 12 residents.
The way they will be killed will be up to the contractor but must be humane.
Speaking to The Times, Canna resident Winnie MacKinnon, 51, said: "The rabbits are basically eating away the island.
"The rabbits are digging up the graveyard and they're dragging out the bones. It is sad to see. They're everywhere, causing stone walls to collapse by burrowing under the foundations as well as damaging our archaeological sites.
"A lot of rabbit pie is being eaten but you cannot keep up with them. The sea eagles feed on them but it does not stop the rabbits increasing. Something has to be done to control them and urgently."
In 2006, the National Trust for Scotland spent £600,000 exterminating 10,000 rats from the island. The islander's believe that this helped thousands of rabbits to invade Canna.
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