RUN RABBIT, RUN!
Captured by a crow, bunny escapes after mum comes to rescue
YOU may have seen a horse fly. Or a dragon fly. Or, indeed, a house fly.
But you’ve probably never seen a rabbit fly. Until now, that is.
The airborne animal in question had been minding its own business when a crow swooped down and whisked it away in its beak.
Fortunately, the baby rabbit did not end up as lunch – after a timely intervention by its mother, with a little help from the photographer who captured the dramatic scene.
Ray Pownall, 74, threw a stick towards the bird, scaring it into dropping the hapless bunny.
Its mother then bravely defended it as the crow resumed its attack before both rabbits scampered to safety.
The drama – which unfolded as Mr Pownall was attempting to photograph red squirrels on dunes at Formby beach in Merseyside – comes after a row over the threat that crows pose to livestock.
Natural England faced a backlash last month when it revoked the three general licences that allowed landowners to cull pest birds such as crows and wood pigeons.
As the controversy raged, the Daily Mail reported how crows peck the eyes out of sheep, disembowel lambs and feast on songbird chicks. One shocking picture showed bloodied lambs after they had been savaged by crows.
In response, Natural England promised to rush out new birdshooting licences – but Environment Secretary Michael Gove stepped in and stripped the quango of its powers, saying his department would issue the licences instead.
Mr Pownall said he could not help but intervene in the crow attack on the rabbit. ‘I felt like I had to do something,’ he said. ‘It’s Mother Nature in action but it’s not the nicest to see at times.
‘Thankfully the mummy rabbit came out and started jumping at the crow, giving the baby enough time to get away down a rabbit hole.’