The year of the (big) Central Otago Rabbit.

Angus the rabbit is a new arrival in the field.  He's made of Corten Steel so he won't be eating any of the plantings.  But maybe he will give some of the humans a fright.  We are not too sure of his exact ancestry.  Is he a rabbit?  Maybe he is a hare - he's got the ears for it.

Click on the photo for a larger image.

Standing about 1.6 meters tall (5 feet) he is rapidly developing a rust patina that suits the landscape.  But his life span will be several hundred years.

Rabbit ears and Mt Difficulty. Click on the photo for a large image

Rabbits are a big issue in Central Otago.  We spend a lot of effort getting rid of them and the entire property has a rabbit proof fence.  We have to do that because of the ability of rabbits to destroy our whole landscape, and not just inside the fence.  In the 1800s rabbits were introduced from Europe and within the decade managed to put some of the biggest sheep stations into bankruptcy.  Not to mention the local fauna.

(For more on the rabbit problem see the post on this blog "Keeping out the rabbits"

Be careful.  The big bunnies might be out to get you.  Click on the photo for a large image

Angus in the field.

Angus was made by a young artist, Elisha Clarke, now living in Wellington.
Her family are artists in Roxburgh Central Otago.
Bill and Michele Clarke.  www.forgedandcrafted.co.nz
Elisha Clarke.             elisha.artist@gmail.com