Why are there so many bunnies on okunoshima?

Okunoshima’s Dark Past However, most historians believe that the Japanese government brought rabbits to the island starting around 1929 for chemical weapons testing. Then during the occupation after World War II, the American military euthanized some 200 rabbits still kept there.

Which Japanese island is inhabited entirely by rabbits?

OFF THE COAST OF HIROSHIMA, JAPAN. Located in eastern Hiroshima, Rabbit Island is a small enclave occupied by hundreds of wild rabbits that roam the forests and fields, chasing tourists for food. Only a 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland, the island is a popular destination for tourists from around the world.

Can you take a rabbit from okunoshima?

Although many tourist and blog sites say you can buy vegetables from the convenience store before you hop on the ferry, these leafy greens are extremely innutritious for rabbits and even harmful for their digestive system, often causing bloating. Don’t pick them up, chase them, or try to force interaction with them.

How did the bunnies get on bunny island?

Back in 1929, when the army began manufacturing chemical weapons, rabbits were brought to the island and used to test the effectiveness of the poison gas, according to The Guardian. About eight rabbits may have been released by a group of school kids back in 1971.

How many rabbits are in okunoshima island?

900 rabbits
Just south of Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture stands Okunoshima Island. This small island with a circumference of only 4.3km has grown a reputation as “rabbit island” over the years. This is because of the island’s population of over 900 rabbits, all eager to greet their visitors.

What happened to okunoshima?

Okunoshima is now full of cute bunnies but used to be a top-secret poison factory. The island of Okunoshima in Japan is famous for being the home of a lot of rabbits. However, from 1929 to 1945, the island didn’t officially even exist and was removed from all official maps.

Why is Rabbit Island?

These days, though, it’s most often referred to by its nickname Usagi Jima, which translates to Rabbit Island and is so named for the hundreds of feral rabbits that call it home.

Where is okunoshima island?

Hiroshima Prefecture
Ōkunoshima (Japanese: 大久野島) is a small island in the Inland Sea of Japan. It is considered to be part of the city of Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture. It is accessible by ferry from Tadanoumi and Ōmishima. There are campsites, walking trails and places of historical interest on the island.

How did rabbits get to okunoshima?

No one really knows how the rabbits got to the island in the first place. Around 1929, the Japanese government secretly tested poison gas on Ōkunoshima. Rumors abound that a British couple brought the bunnies to the island, or a nearby school released them in 1971.

What is Okunoshima Rabbit Island?

Okunoshima Rabbit Island. Ōkunoshima is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan between Hiroshima and Shikoku. During World War II the island used to be a top-secret military site manufacturing poison gas for chemical warfare.

Are Okunoshima’s rabbits the descendants of WW2 test subjects?

While it’s widely accepted that rabbits were used for chemical weapons testing on the island during World War II, there’s no proof that those test subjects were the ancestors of today’s furry Okunoshima inhabitants.

What is the Ōkunoshima Bunny blight?

Erratic feeding by tourists is leading to a bunny blight on a small Japanese island with a mysterious, dark past. Ōkunoshima is a small island nestled in the Inland Sea of Japan. It’s a little more than two and a half miles around, which can be walked in about an hour and a half.

Are there any Places in Japan where rabbits can roam free?

Okunoshima the small island about two miles off the coast of Takehara in Hiroshima Prefecture, allows rabbits to roam freely. Also known as Usagi Jima, or Rabbit Island, Okunoshima attracts animal lovers from all over the world to spend some quality cuddle time with its large population of feral rabbits.