Memorable rabbits Part 14 Chop

Tsukimi whose size was the same as his mom, Chop

9/23/26

Around the time when "tiger-colored" rabbits (a mix of orange and black) began to appear here and there, I found a rabbit—only about two months old—near the visitor center.

To my shock, the tip of its left leg had been cleanly severed. I tend to name rabbits based on their distinctive features, so I named this one "Chop." Many people suspected abuse, wondering how such a wound could have occurred.

Unable to run like the other rabbits, it dragged its leg awkwardly.

Despite that handicap, she maintained a foothold in her territory and even gave birth to babies. On the island, however, the babies practically the same age as her. Looking back at the photos and videos, she is almost always shown eating; perhaps she was constantly hungry, as there were hardly any still photos of her otherwise. Seeing those babies grow up and eat alongside their mother, Chop, I was amazed that a rabbit with such a disability could manage to live that way—yet, in the end, her life was cut short in less than a year and a half.

Even now, when I walk near the wisteria trellis at the visitor center, I am reminded of Chop—running toward me, dragging her leg as she went.