No touching.
That's the message from the City of Vancouver when it comes to Jericho Beach's most adorable residents: feral rabbits.
Despite how cute they are, the city is telling people not to approach the little lagomorphs. Those who feed them could be fined $500.
"Drawn by their fluffy tails, twitching noses and relative tameness, people often try to handle and feed them," explains the city in a press release. "But these interactions pose serious health threats to the animals and the public, and the rabbits have harmful impacts on the environment."
The rabbits at Jericho Beach are a colony of domestic rabbits that are descended from pets, often abandoned. And while local humans may want to feed them, the city says "don't," for a few reasons.
"Not only is feeding feral rabbits unhealthy for them," explains the city. "When they gather around feeding areas they also become more vulnerable to predators and can more easily spread disease."
"Food left out for rabbits attracts mice and rats which can lead to infestations and further opportunities for spreading diseases like hantavirus."
