The government used to bomb this Massachusetts island. Now, they're filling it with bunnies.
So long “Rattlesnake Island” (we hardly knew ye); hello Rabbit Island.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is executing a plan to make Nomans Land Island a refuge for New England cottontails, as part of a larger effort to rebuild the species’ population. According to the Cape Cod Times, officials ferried the first 13 cottontails Tuesday to the 628-acre island, located three miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard.
Unfortunately for rabbit enthusiasts, Nomans Land Island and its surrounding waters remain closed to the public — but for good reason.
In the 1940s, the Navy began leasing the entire island to use for aerial bombing practice. This went on for more than 50 years. And officials say the scenic, shrub-covered island remains dangerously littered with unexploded bombs.
But don’t worry, the cottontails will probably be OK.
Read more: https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2019/05/08/nomans-land-island-new-england-cottontails
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