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Am I the only one who's noticed that the rabbit population in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve is noticeably larger?
I'm housesitting my mom's house near 32nd/Shea, and there are rabbits all over her yard. I typically see 4+ when I get home from work in the evening, and her neighbors who have grass in their front yards also seem to have multiple rabbits on their properties. I also see them on the trails basically every time I hike in the Preserve near dusk. Are the coyotes not doing their job? Are there fewer coyotes?

Yep, recorded 7 on route to Reavis Ranch today. One pack of three had me looking around for the rest of the herd!

Sounds like my experience with rattlesnakes one night at South Mountain...

joe bartels wrote:Yep, recorded 7 on route to Reavis Ranch today. One pack of three had me looking around for the rest of the herd!

Like "Night of the Lepus" Have you seen that Rabbit Horror movie about the southwest.

Rancher Cole Hillman is having problems with the rabbit population on his ranch, who are destroying his crops. College president Elgin Clark, as a favor to benefactor Cole, calls in zoologists Roy and Gerry Bennett, who create an (untested) serum for disrupting the breeding cycle of rabbits. However, their daughter Amanda has become attached to the uninjected rabbit that has become the serum's test subject, and switches it with an already-injected bunny. The injected rabbit gets away and breeds. The serum doesn't disrupt their breeding cycle, but does something worse: it causes the rabbits to become gigantic meat-eaters. When several people are slaughtered by the carnivorous carrot-munchers, Roy and Gerry attempt to find a solution before the whole of the American Southwest is overrun by giant rabbits

Dschur wrote: Like "Night of the Lepus" Have you seen that Rabbit Horror movie about the southwest.

Sounds like a good one to see just before hiking Preston's trip: Sixshooter-Telephone Ridge Loop.. on a "moonlit, monsoon night"..

it causes the rabbits to become gigantic meat-eaters. When several people are slaughtered by the carnivorous carrot-munchers, Roy and Gerry attempt to find a solution before the whole of the American Southwest is overrun by giant rabbits

I need to find that movie ... (I'm guessing the $1 bin at swapmart? )

It'll make my relaxing round of golf at Papago much more frightening than just having bad golfers out there. (I've never seen "herds" of jackrabbits like there are at Papago. Some are as big as my yellow lab.)

I live in the Pointe neighborhood and see rabbits all over the neighborhood. Sometimes I see more than a dozen during one short two mile walk! I've never seen them in the preserve, but it just goes to reason.

I also see a lot of coyotes and we have two owls that live in the neighborhood. And don't get me started on the scorpions!

Kachina wrote:I live in the Pointe neighborhood and see rabbits all over the neighborhood. Sometimes I see more than a dozen during one short two mile walk! I've never seen them in the preserve, but it just goes to reason.

I also see a lot of coyotes and we have two owls that live in the neighborhood. And don't get me started on the scorpions!

I have heard that domestic cats will kill and sometimes eat scorpions...is this true?
:yuck:

cathymocha wrote:
I have heard that domestic cats will kill and sometimes eat scorpions...is this true?
:yuck:

I have never witnessed the actual hunt or kill, but my cats bring dead scorpions to my attention (in proud display) occasionally. By the time one is brought to me, it's dead and they are playing with it. Mine have never eaten one that I know of.

Most "house cats" don't eat insects like crickets, grasshoppers, lizards or scorpions ... but if you have an outdoor "barn cat" then these things are more likely to be part of their diet.

But it seems to be a myth that cats are immune to scorpion venom. They are extremely quick and agile, and therefore can often avoid a sting, and their hair and skin are very thick, which also prevents a sting from penetrating.

Scorpions do view cats (and even dogs) as a threat or predator, so they will at least try to hide from your cat's curious paws!

Here's a video I found, which I think is pretty gross. But it shows an aggressive cat that must be hungry!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPIJ39dXDPY

And as all you Survivorman and Man v. Wild viewers have seen, scorpions are a safe and tasty treat when you find yourself hungry in the desert. :yuck:

I watched a "portion" of the utube film Chumley referred to... ...however, it might be a good thing to have house and outdoor cats around here in the Valley.
:idea: