A man was arrested after kicking a rabbit on an island in western Japan, where an investigation is underway into the deaths of dozens of the animals over the past two months, it was announced Thursday. the police.
A police spokesperson told AFP that the 25-year-old was arrested Tuesday on Okunoshima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, famous for its abundant rabbit population.
Wounded, the struck animal then succumbed to its injuries, according to local media, which also claim that the man admitted to having mistreated the animal, citing police sources.
This arrest comes as the Ministry of the Environment warned at the beginning of the week of the suspicious deaths of dozens of rabbits since the end of last November.
Since November 26, 77 rabbit carcasses have been found on the island, the ministry said.
“The cause of death may be an infectious disease, cold or a human factor, but it is not clear at this stage,” the ministry said.
-“We continue to investigate the cause (of the deaths) with veterinarians and relevant authorities, while strengthening surveillance,” the ministry added.
Police are investigating whether the arrested man may be involved in the deaths of many other rabbits.
Introduced to the island of Okunoshima in the 1970s, these animals belong to a species of European rabbit that live “in a state of semi-freedom, feeding on the island’s vegetation and often relying on the help of humans, including tourists who provide them with food,” according to a ministry leaflet.
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