In Chile, a plague of rabbits took over an abandoned private land in the commune of Las Condes and now grows uncontrollably.
Thus, what began as the abandonment of a few animals turned into a colony of more than 200 specimens that represents a concrete sanitary and ecological risk.
The property belonging to the Gandarillas family was going to be used for real estate developments that never materialized. Today, the space was abandoned and the rabbits became a plague.
This is because, less than three years ago, someone left European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on that land.
Since then, the invasive species of rabbit, which arrived in Chile in the 18th century, found ideal conditions to reproduce there and today is a plague.
A plague of rabbits that neighbors feed
The place has become a habitual walk for neighborhood residents. Parents take their children to observe and feed the animals, a practice that, according to experts, accelerated the proliferation.
“Everyone comes. I bring them carrots, lettuce, whatever I have,” a neighbor told the media The Clinic.
Veterinarian Fernando Mardones warned about the consequences of this behavior: “Feeding them is equivalent to having dogs or cats that people feed and also have the possibility of growing uncontrollably.”
“It is irresponsible ownership and should be prohibited, and that uncontrolled population of rabbits should be controlled,” he added.
The ecological and sanitary risk it implies
The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) classifies the European rabbit as a plague. The species has generated similar alerts in regions such as Valparaíso and the Metropolitan.
Mardones also pointed out that these animals “can generate plagues and have a series of consequences because they displace other species that may be endemic.”
A documented case is that of the Juan Fernández Archipelago. Studies from 2024 recorded how the eradication of rabbits on islands like Santa Clara allowed the recovery of native flora, affected by intensive grazing and erosion.
Among the main environmental impacts of this species are:
- Displacement of native and endemic species
- Soil erosion due to intensive grazing
- Loss of native vegetation cover
- Uncontrolled proliferation in the absence of natural predators
The Municipality of Las Condes confirmed that it did not receive formal complaints, as “the rabbits do not bother the neighbors and it has become a family walk,” so it did not take actions to intervene the property.
However, experts warned that the absence of control over this rabbit plague can lead to ecological consequences that are difficult to reverse, as has happened in other areas of the country.
