What happens if you eat a myxomatosis rabbit

[John Fenna]

I cannot find my source at the mo - but as I recall it was first tested on Lundy and almost failed as the rabbits there are flea free.
It was then tested on skomer (if I recall correctly) and was a great success!

Dark lighter may be right though - I may have got the 2 confused...

 

[Damascus]

Mixxy is a North American rabbit disease transmitted by the flea. The cotton tails of NA have a very high tolerance to it, European rabbit do not, being almost 100% fatal. After the second world war with rationing, rabbit populations at their height it was used as a way of getting the numbers down. It was first trailed in France with great success and brought over to the UK shortly after. The rest they say is history.

 

[Mojoracinguk]

Just a thought....This is my experience (would like to know if yours differ) but over the years the mixy has ravaged the bunny population in waves and when it does, dead bunnies litter the ground....the only creatures that try to eat them are dogs (and that’s probably because they are playing more than hungry) the Foxes don’t seem to touch them and neither do the crows.
So why do scavengers take/pick apart road kill bunnies but never touch a 'sniped' bunny with mixxy.....???
That's good enough reason for me not to eat them.
Plus seeing how messed up the folk got the food chains (BSE/Scrapie/CJD) and how they said it was all safe and going to be fine....nah I'll leave them thanks...I do feel guilt about wasting the odd bunny or two when this disease is about but can’t leave them to stumble about blindly, shivering like its cold….