TRAVEL / Okunoshima AKA 'Rabbit Island' is no paradise.

Hello! I wanted to write about my own personal experience visiting the famous 'Rabbit Island' (Okunoshima in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan). I went in January 2018 but this topic sparked my interest when I watched the video 'Lennon the Rabbit' made about the island, exposing the reality of the situation. I was glad to see someone not sugar coat the situation. I also saw various videos promoting it as some kind of paradise - particularly 'Bini the Bunny''s video. 

Of course those on social media who want clicks and views will only include the good parts, the cute rabbits, and the beautiful views. In reality, of course the rabbits are cute but what's not cute is the state a lot of them are in, as well as the general condition of the island. 

I will include pictures I took on the day.

The island is mostly dirt and cement. Any kind of grass or hay is almost non-existent.
Hay and/or grass is essential for a rabbit's diet. It should make up 80% of what they eat. 

(Retrieved from: http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/components-rabbit-diet.asp) 

These rabbits are domestic. They are not wild. 

They rely on tourists and locals to feed them. During the visit, I saw many old vegetables tossed on the floor for the rabbits, such as whole carrots, cabbages, etc. There are pellets everywhere too. 

Usually when you have a pet rabbit, they should eat smaller portions of such foods (eg. a small slice of carrot is enough for a treat), but on the island, it's all they have. 

Rabbits are very sensitive animals. If you are a savvy rabbit owner then you probably already know how expensive the frequent vet visits can be. 

Domestic rabbits' life expectancy is 7-10 years, with the oldest rabbit recognized by Guinness World Records passing away at 16. The rabbits on the island have a life expectancy of 2 years. 

The next big thing I noticed was many of the rabbits had wounds on their eyes. Some with injured ears and noses, which could only be seen up close.

Many looked like the picture above. Their eyes were puffy and red. Some looked weak and lethargic.

My sister and I had seen all the viral videos with rabbits happily chasing people but the reality was quite different from what we expected. It's important to consider the time we decided to go - it was winter so the rabbits may have been less active and more susceptible to illness. Rabbits dig burrows and stay warm in there during winter but I wondered about these domestic rabbits hopping around the island.

The situation at Okunoshima is difficult because of a number of different reasons. There are

so many rabbits and so many need medical attention - but who is going to provide that to them? The island is not convenient to visit and the sheer amount of rabbits to help is so large. 

They also aren't desexed so they will continue to make babies which will die just as fast as their parents. 

Grass and hay are needed but it would be impossible to transport the necessary amount of hay to help the rabbits. Once again, who can do this? 

The island has some beautiful rabbits without any injuries or infections, and they are the ones who bring the tourists. The tourists are helpful as they can give business to the hotel and restaurant, as well as feed the rabbits (even though it may not be the best diet). The hotel staff are in charge of the water distribution and some food. I do want to criticize those who make a mockery out of the serious situation on rabbit island but naming it a 'heaven' or 'paradise'. It's not a paradise for the rabbits and if you loved rabbits, it wouldn't be a paradise to see them in such conditions. 

However, if tourists stop visiting, then the rabbits and the hotel staff will have problems. 

It's definitely a tricky situation. 

If you plan to visit the island, please consider bringing some grass or hay if possible, clean drinking water, and rabbit-safe leafy greens for treats (not whole carrots and cabbages like the island has many of). Be mindful that what you see in those viral videos may be misleading. 

Thank you for reading!