Podcast appearances and mentions of bob whitman

On the phone-in today: We hear renovation tips from Dan Monk and Deneika Coakley. And off the top of the show, we hear your feedback on yesterday's phone-in about intimate partner violence. We also speak with Bob Whitman. He's one of the founders of a program in Pictou County, NS, that first started more than 40 years ago to help men that are violent. 

In this episode, Corning's Brian Rhoney and Bob Whitman explained how fiber infrastructure and computing requirements in and across data centers need to change to support GenAI versus traditional cloud computing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach has the pleasure of chatting with FranklinCovey's Pamela Fuller in this episode themed around the topics of engagement and inclusion. She shares with us why she thinks that we're often talking about unconscious bias rather than just bias, and she also gives us a practical example of what it means to tie inclusion to performance. Listen to the full show to hear Pamela's definition of employee engagement and a whole lot more.Connect with Pamela on LinkedIn and Twitter!Find out more about FranklinCovey via their website or socials: LinkedIn, IG, Twitter, FacebookVisit our website!TRANSCRIPTZach: What's up, y'all? It's Zach with Living Corporate, and look, we're back. It's Season 3. It's 2020. You know, you're probably riding in your hover jet or, you know, petting your cloned pig. I don't know what's happening in the future, but, you know, it's 2020 is my point. It's a new year, and, you know what we do. We have authentic conversations that center underrepresented voices in the corporate space--and corporate space is just another word for saying "work," so a 9-to-5 job. So underrepresented voices at work, that's what we do. We amplify those through having authentic conversations with black and brown executives, hiring partners, entrepreneurs, creatives, activists, artists, musicians. Like, anybody, right? And we're having, like, these evergreen conversations. Like, we're taking these evergreen topics rather, but we're centering them on black and brown / underrepresented perspectives, and we have, like, really great guests. Like, Season 1 we had some really incredible guests, Season 2 we had some really awesome guests, and Season 3 is no different. We have with us today Pamela Fuller with FranklinCovey. For more than 15 years, Pamela has worked in both the public and private sector supporting clients and solving complex problems. She currently serves as FranklinCovey's Thought Leader, Inclusion and Bias as well as a Global Client Partner responsible for supporting some of the organization’s most strategic accounts. Her solutions-oriented and client-centric approach has resulted in unique solutions that exceed client expectations and achieve results. Pamela works with clients to match the right solution to organizational strategic priorities and is particularly adept at designing tailored, competency-based programs to solve her client's most pressing needs. Through this work, Pamela has designed programs that have made an impact on hundreds of thousands--yo, hundreds of thousands--of participants to include FranklinCovey’s newest offering, Unconscious Bias: Understanding Bias to Unleash Potential. Prior to her current role, Pamela served as an EEO & Diversity Analyst and Trainer where she conceived and implemented proactive diversity programs to include human capital planning, training on unconscious bias and microaggressions, and statistical workforce analysis. She also served the non-profit community for nearly a decade, executing marketing, communications, special events and fundraising strategies. She is a highly sought-after consultant--I mean, come on, after everything I read, clearly she is a highly sought-after consultant--speaker and strategist, having addressed leaders across the world on leadership topics to include unconscious bias, high potential leadership and building an inclusive and effective culture to include the United Nations System, U.S. federal government and the Fortune 500. My, goodness. I mean, come on, y'all. Like, if that doesn't get you off your seats, if that don't get you paying attention to something, I mean... [ow sfx] Goodness. Pamela, welcome to the show. How are you doing?Pamela: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I am good. I don't know if you ever get used to hearing your bio read. I think there's a humility that we're all raised up with that makes that feel so strange. So, um, anyway, I'm just thrilled to be here and engage in this conversation.Zach: Man. You know, let's just get right into it, right? Like, a critical part of any conversation is language and clear definitions. I think, like, you know, the D&I space has been existing for a while, but I feel like that we're seeing a shift in the past handful of years where, I don't know, just the intention around the work is just that, more intentional. And so before we even get into this whole conversation, like, can we get your definition of inclusion and bias?Pamela: Absolutely. I think inclusion--as I think about inclusion, I think we know we're being successful with inclusion when it is a metric of performance. If everyone in the organization feels included, valued, respected, then they are able to perform at their best, and I think that's really important, that connection to performance, because quite often people talk about diversity and inclusion around sort of a moral responsibility or it being the right thing to do, and while I firmly believe all of those things, I think that a conversation about the right thing to do is not as compelling in an organization as the impact on performance. So yes, it's the right thing to do for lots of reasons. Ultimately as a business or an organization, the reason it's most important is to ensure that we are positioning everyone to perform, to meet whatever our goals or results are for the organization, and people can't do that if they feel inhibited or encumbered or disrespected or ignored or tolerated, right? So inclusion is a sense that everyone feels they can contribute their best selves and that they desire to do so, because if I'm not included I don't even want to give you my best ideas, right? And I think bias, as we talk about bias, we define bias at FranklinCovey and in our new offering around--we define it as a preference, a preference that we might have about a person or a place or a thing, a circumstance, and the word preference I think is really important to the definition, because when we think of bias we often think of it being inherently negative. We think biases of prejudice or a stereotype, and if it's inherently negative we get a little bit defensive about it. So people bring up bias and a lot of people in organizations, particularly people who don't feel like they've been on the receiving end of bias, might get really defensive. You know, "I don't have bias," or "I don't have prejudice. I don't have stereotypes. I sort of treat everyone fairly," but if we define it as a preference we speak to what bias really is. It's a natural part of the human condition, of how the brain works, and we have preferences that on their face don't have value, but they impact our behavior, and that behavior has a result that can be negative or positive. So bias is preferences we have about kinds of things, whether your desk is messy or gender or race, you know? Bigger, heavier issues, or the sorts of qualifications people have or where they went to school, where they're from in the country, all kinds of things, and that impacts how we interact with other people, how we handle circumstances, how we make decisions, and those decisions, or that impact, again goes back to performance. So I think that these terms are really valuable when we can tie them to performance, because that's the result of inclusion and bias.Zach: No, and I'm right there with you, right? I think so many times--let me take a step back. So I think premises, discussing premises is really important. So I do believe, in my experience and also from what I've read as well as conversations that I've had with other leaders, [that] a lot of times when we talk about diversity and inclusion it's framed around the comfort of the majority, right? So, like, just now when you framed inclusion around performance, that in itself is a differentiator--this is not even an ad for FranklinCovey by the way, y'all. This is not an ad. I'm just trying to shout--but, I mean, with respect, [laughing] it's a differentiator because with the tie-in to performance there's also, like, an underlying theme of accountability, right? Like, if I'm tying something to performance, I'm tying to something tangible and measurable, that means that there is an outcome that we're looking to achieve. I think a lot of times when we talk about inclusion though specifically they are moreso tied to, like, feelings or, like you said, moral imperatives, and the reality is, like, the world operates today very exclusively. There are plenty of exclusive spaces, and there are plenty of systems that are built off of exclusivity. So I don't know if that angle of positioning as inclusion as, like, the right thing to do is going to win over the masses, because if the moral imperative was that strong and people really vibed with it, we wouldn't have all the work that we have to do. So it's interesting though, kind of on with the idea of inclusion, a popular definition of inclusion is being asked to dance at the party you were invited to, right? And people say it--I'm sure you hear it often, but people say it with such, like--I don't know, like it's just such a [swaggy?] thing to say, and I'm like, "Okay. I mean, it's cool," but can we talk a little bit about the role that power plays in inclusion? Like, do you think that you can have inclusion of underrepresented employees without granting them some authority within the organization that they operate?Pamela: Uh, no. [laughs] In short, right? But I think it sort of goes back to definition. So when we think about the moral imperative, there's a power dynamic in that as well, right? Because what we're saying if we say it's a moral imperative, we're sort of putting it in the same box as charity. Like, "This is a good will," right? "A charitable act that I will do for these underrepresented groups is to bring them into the conversation." So I think that's another reason I feel very strongly about reframing inclusion and bias around performance, because I think it's not a charity, right? There's an actual end result. There's whole populations we're leaving out of organizations, and that is detrimental to performance, because ultimately organizations cannot serve--you know, I do a lot of work in the federal space. The federal government cannot serve the American people if it's not reflective of the American people. That's a big, grandiose example, but the same is true of private sector. Your customers are reflective of a population or a demographic and you can't serve them if you don't reflect them. So I think that power is an important part of this, and another thing that we see as we work with organizations is that organizations are typically more diverse at the front line. It's difficult to get to diversity and inclusion in the senior ranks, and even as we look at the chief diversity officer or the office of diversity and inclusion or diversity, equity and inclusion, or even chief experience officer, right? I think corporations are going through a bit of a vanguard in terms of what that role is even called, but it's interesting to see where that person sits in an organization and where they report, and I think where they sit and where they report is a reflection of how strongly the organization feels about the value of diversity and inclusion efforts and their linked performance.Zach: Well, so where they sit, who they report to, and then also who they are, right? Like, who they actually choose to be in those positions.Pamela: Yeah, because I think that there is a bit of a--I don't know. There's a lot of talk about that across D&I professionals in terms of the identity of the person in that role and does it need to be someone from a marginalized group, and I also think there's a sentiment sometimes, particularly in highly technical organizations, that HR issues generally are people who are, like, not technical enough, and so there's not always a lot of respect in an organization given to the capability of that person who sits in the role, which again goes to your point about power, that if it's not a highly respected role, if it's not seen as highly valued, then the person is limited in the impact that they can make across the organization.Zach: And, you know, it's interesting because I remember a couple jobs ago I was working, and we had the black affinity group, right? And, you know, there were multiple different affinity groups, and each affinity group had a leader, and for all of the other groups, right, military, women, East Asian, LGBTQ, all the leaders were, like, senior managers or directors, right? So low- to mid-level senior leaders, but then for the African-American affinity group it was, like, an experienced hire. Like, someone who has been, you know, working for, like, four or five years. So off top you're like, "Okay, I don't--y'all don't care about this the same way that y'all care about these other spaces," you know what I mean?Pamela: Yeah, and it sort of violates best practice, right? So best practice around employee resource groups or affinity groups or business resource groups--again, sort of an evolution that organizations are going through, and each of those titles has a different contribution to make to the organization--but best practice across any of those structures is that there be executive sponsorship of the group and that the person who is the executive sponsor isn't necessarily part of the group, because there's research that shows that, when we look at diversity and inclusion efforts, if women and people of color are elevating those efforts and pushing them forward, if people in a marginalized group are pushing them forward, it can actually hurt their career over the long-term, because it seems self-serving, right? It seems like, you know, "I'm a black woman, I'm a Latino woman, and, like, we need more diversity in the senior ranks," right? [laughs] It seems like I'm saying, "Hire me," where as when a white man does that same sort of advocacy for issues of diversity and inclusion it seems benevolent, right? Because they don't actually--at least on its face, they don't have anything to gain from that advocacy. So one of the best practices for impacting any sort of whatever the structure is, affinity group, employee resource group or business resource group, is to have an executive sponsor who's not a member of the group so you sort of counteract this research, right? You have an advocate who's not part of the group and who, you know, for lots of reasons is sort of more trusted at the executive level because it doesn't seem self-serving. Zach: And to that point, I think when you talk about inclusiveness--and we've talked about, on Living Corporate, sponsorship and mentorship in the past. Like, to me, like, that's the biggest opportunity strategically, and then just organizationally, when you talk about, like, the next step when it comes to employee resource groups. Right now it's like these ERGs are spaces where others are able to kind of cluster together and either be kind of, like, other with themselves or just kind of be out of the way, but it puts responsibility on underrepresented employees. It fully charges black and brown, LGBTQ, disabled, it fully charges non-white men, non-straight, white men, to be in charge of their own inclusion efforts, right? Like, we're not really connecting the dots between the folks who actually have authority, access, and power with these underrepresented folks. I often see these groups kind of just operate autonomously, almost like they're an island in of themselves as opposed to them being connected to this larger organizational strategy. Is that something that you've seen often, or do you--like, are you seeing a shift in how these ERGs engage and work within the larger leadership structure?Pamela: I see that as well, and I think--you know, I don't see necessarily, like, a wave of engagement in the larger leadership structure. I think some organizations are just better at it than others for lots of--you know, it's either a longer-standing program or sort of the people at play or there are executives who have made it their business to be a part of these groups. I think one of the challenges with employee resource groups is the burden, as you've highlighted, sits with the population, and even the effort that they put towards it, right? Like, we are all in the workplace. We have--you know, everyone I speak to across public and private sector, you know, small, medium, large companies, multi-national companies, everyone is doing two jobs. Everyone is over-worked, and there's just not enough hours in the day. So then you look at demographics for underrepresented groups in corporate structures, and you're thinking, "Wow," and we've, got, like a handful of our high-performers putting additional effort and energy towards making these employee resource groups meaningful, which feels a bit counter-intuitive, right, when you're trying to sort of close the gap and accelerate in the leadership ranks. So I think employee resource groups need to be a part of a larger strategy, because they do serve a purpose. I mean, when I look--so in our program, and to your point not a plug, but just an example that I think--an illustration that I think might be helpful when you think about this is we do an exercise around a network audit and just sort of looking at your network and doing an audit of your personal and professional network in terms of who you choose to go to, like, when you have a problem or when you have a new project or when you're seeking coaching or mentorship about a specific issue, and when I do that activity for myself, I notice that my personal network is very reflective of me. I mean, it's, like, women of color who are college-educated, often have a higher degree, have an MBA, and are sort of in fast-paced jobs, sort of big jobs, and on paper we look very similar, and that serves a purpose. That's valuable for me for my own sense of belonging and sort of ensuring that I'm navigating things the right way and sharing my personal experience and the challenges I have that are specifically related to my role as a working mother of two brown boys in America, right? My professional network is much more diverse. There are many more men in my professional network. There are men in higher-level positions. There are also women. There's a lot more geographic diversity, because FranklinCovey is a global company and because I've worked and lived in other states outside of Washington, D.C., where I currently live--or Virginia, I should say, just outside of D.C., and so I think that--and when I look at that I ask the question, "Where do I have opportunity? Where do I have opportunity to expand my network, both for my own sense of sort of professional growth and development and belonging and inclusion as well as, you know, for the benefit of my network?" And so I think ERGs serve a purpose. Like, it's valuable for me to have a network that is reflective of me, because sometimes, you know, you don't have to explain things. You can say, like, "This happened," and people in your network who reflect you say, "Oh, I know. When that happens, this is what I've done," you know? Where as when people are different then there's a little bit more effort that you have to put in. You have to explain your perspective or explain why that might be problematic or ask the question differently. So I think they serve a purpose. It's valuable to have that network, and we see that organizations who don't have those sorts of networks really struggle to retain diverse talent and to promote diverse talent, but it can't be the only thing, right? Organizations have to have a multi-pronged strategy that doesn't put the burden only on those people to build a network for themselves. So there needs to also be some formal mentoring and coaching opportunities in place. There needs to be engagement of the majority in minority efforts. There needs to be formal leadership development opportunities and, you know, rotational assignments for people, and surveys that indicate what people's experience is, and then response to that survey data, right? Most organizations do do sort of employee engagement surveys. They don't necessarily respond to what they hear and try to bridge those gaps. So I think when ERGs are the organization's only strategy, that's a problem, but as part of a larger strategy I've seen them be really effective, 'cause there's a purpose that that serves, and it's valuable.Zach: No, you're absolutely right. I think the challenge is that for so many organizations ERGs is, like, the beginning and end of their DE&I strategy, right? Like, it's "Okay, we set these things up for y'all to be different over there. So have your happy hours, let us know what the budget it--you've got about $600 for the year--and enjoy yourself," right? [both laugh]Pamela: You can buy one bottle of wine.Zach: Get your one bottle of wine and celebrate your one promotee and enjoy, right? [laughs] But jokes aside--and that really wasn't a joke, but pessimistic commentary aside--[laughs]Pamela: [laughs] Skepticism aside.Zach: Yes, yes, yes. It's interesting because I think what that doesn't also account for is, like, the emotional labor that goes into, like, one even just being a part of an ERG, but then two working and trying to build one up, right? So like you said, we all have these full-time jobs. I'm a consultant, and so it's like, "Okay, I'm already working on the billable engagement, then I have some additional work that I'm doing to, like, sell something else," and then maybe I'm even working on a whitepaper or some research or something else, and then on top of that you want me to lead a whole ERG? Or you want me to participate in one? Like, even participating, right, I think it's really easy--and I had a conversation with some colleagues some months ago, and they were talking about "Well, we're going to judge ERG engagement by how many people show up to events," and I was trying to explain--I was like, "Well, wait a minute. That can't be your only measure for judging engagement or participation, because some people may just--honestly if you just sent out an email once a month with, like, some type of professional tip or did some type of blogging series, or--like, there are people who maybe just like to observe. They might not necessarily want to show up physically and hang around and hang out after a whole week-long of work," because even showing up in spaces where we're the majority can sometimes be performative, 'cause we don't know everybody. Like, "I don't know you." Like, yes, you and I both might be black, but we're not a monolith. Like, I still need to build up trust, and that in itself can be an emotional exercise. So how do we--you know, how do we account for the labor that's involved in just being present in these spaces, right? I'm already exhausted from being present everywhere else, so now I'm going to be present here? This is going to be positive, but we need to make sure that we're accounting for that effort, because it is an effort. It's not just automatic. I think it's really easy, outside looking in, just to think that everybody wants to just pop up to everything or do a happy hour or do insert-whatever-activity it is when it's like, "Man, you know, honestly I would just benefit from somebody just sending me a note," or "I would just benefit from a phone call or just listening on a conference call or," like, again, reading a newsletter. I don't necessarily know if I need to, like, be physically present somewhere on top of all of the things that I'm doing for me, right? Again, I'm not dismissing the reality that these events are great, they can be, but everybody's different and, you know, I've yet to talk to one black person, black or brown person at work, who hasn't, like, significantly dealt with some B.S. at their job that they're actively trying to manage through and smile through, so, like, when you think about that kind of stuff, and then now I gotta kind of do this other thing, it can just kind of be a bit much, you know what I mean?Pamela: Yeah, I agree. And I think personality-wise--so it's hard because, you know, understanding the value that ERGs play and how they are helpful for some people and then, like, being personally an introvert, it's a little bit hard for me. [both laugh] To go back to something I said earlier, they just need to be part of a more holistic strategy, and even I guess how they run. Like, so many times companies are using the term employee resource group and it really is an affinity group. It's a club. And there's sort of a--there's a cliqueyness that can come from clubs that is not helpful. So I think--I believe really strongly in meaningful connection. I think that sometimes the D&I community can sort of become a little bit insular in terms of how it thinks about--you know, you sort of get a group of D&I professionals together and they're like, "This is the answer," right? Because we've seen, you know, it's a decades-old profession, and we haven't seen monumental, humongous shifts in representation, right? So there's a list of best practices, and I think the D&I community--you know, myself included as part of it--it's like we latch onto these things and say, "Well, let's do this," but there is--like, each organizational structure is really different, and it's important to take into account what is gonna work in the organization to solve those specific challenges. I think, you know, we look at, like, Lean Six Sigma, and it's a process that you can apply to processes, you know, process improvement. It's a mechanism you can apply to process improvement to find efficiencies across any number of processes. I don't think diversity and inclusion is the same in terms of, like, having sort of one process that can be applied to everything. I think understanding the organizational culture and context is really important, and then understanding what the people at the organization want is really important. So I think ERGs have their purpose, but I also think I guess in the measure of that it's important to do some evaluation around, like, is this an affinity group, and do the people who are a part of it want it to be an affinity group, or do they want it to be more of an employee resource group that is focused more on mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship? Or more sort of meaningful connection versus safe space, right? I think affinity groups are like safe space. Come to this thing, this happy hour, or here's this sort of best practices or, like, who to go to for what. Employee resource groups are more building your network and influence across an organization, sponsorship, coaching, mentoring, sort of an intense focus on promotion and leadership development, and then business resource groups are very tied to strategy, right? How are we--like, is this, the black business resource group, the BRG, going to, you know, build us a nwe customer channel or a new revenue stream, right, based on their connection to the company? So I think organizations are not always clear on, like, what it is they're actually setting up and is that in alignment with the participants and what they're looking for. I just think it takes some extra work, right? It's easy to say, "Let's set up these things." It's harder to say, "Let's do some analysis around what kind of thing we need to set up and what it needs to do."Zach: You know what? I don't think that I've had any conversations with anyone really--let me take that back, I've had one conversation with someone who has--like, in private, and we were talking off the mic about the difference between an ERG and a BRG, but I don't know if I've ever had someone really articulate the difference between these different groups. I think that a lot of times what I'm seeing is that we're just using these terms interchangeably, right? Like, without any type of thoughtful definition as to what they mean, 'cause I can say that, like, there's one huge tech organization that uses affinity group, and they're doing way more than another tech organization that I know that is using the term BRGs, right? But I just gotta give you a Flex bomb, 'cause I've never heard someone, like, just very simply explain why those terms mean different things and why they matter. So hold on one second. Come on, Sound Man. Drop it for me right here. [Flex bomb sfx] You know what I'm saying? That's a DJ Flex bomb. Do you know Funkmaster Flex?Pamela: Yeah. I like it. I'll take it.Zach: I appreciate it. No problem.Pamela: It's like I've won the podcast. [both laughing]Zach: This has actually been a very, like, sound effect-light podcast, but, you know what, we're gonna pick it up here. So let's do this. Let's talk about diversity within the context of inclusion. In your opinion, can an organization be inclusive and not be diverse? Like, is a white boys' club inclusive?Pamela: I mean, I think this is the age-old diversity of thought discussion. So organizations will say, you know, "We don't look very diverse. Like, on our face we all look the same, but we have so much diversity of thought. We all look at things really differently," and I think--I mean, diversity of thought exists across everyone. Like, there's a reality to we're all individuals who are bringing our own contribution to the table, but I did--so I used to work at the U.S. Department of Defense, and I was facilitating, years ago, this senior executive diversity seminar. So it was a group of senior executives from various agencies because DOD is a big agency with a lot of subordinate agencies within it. So it wasn't people who were working together every day. They were, like, in different places across DOD, and we're facilitating this conversation around diversity and inclusion. It's a couple-day seminar, multi-day seminar. And one of the participants--I will never forget this--stood up. It was a woman. And she said, "For whatever diversity that exists across this group of people," like, whatever identity, diversity exists--and it was pretty diverse gender-wise with, like, one or two black and brown people, but otherwise didn't... you know, they were all about the same age, and everyone seemed like they were able-bodied, at least from my--you know, from what I could see, but she said, "For whatever identity and diversity exists in this group, we're all actually exactly the same person." She said, "If you lined up our resumes, there's sort of a path to becoming a senior executive at the Department of Defense. So we've all, for the most part, had prior military service, and we were all willing to move all over the world to serve in our next post," which is sort of, you know, a thing that's important at the DOD, and she sort of rifled through some things and said, you know, "We've all gone to this sort of handful of institutions, right? Naval Academy, West Point. We all probably maybe started--" A big part of DOD is the recruitment happens in the southeastern U.S., right? So we're all, like, from--she just sort of railed through these things about all of the ways that they were the same, and I think that it was a really just interesting thought in the room around, like, how an organization, as a huge organization, how does the DOD, like, build and grow leaders? They often do so, like many organizations, you sort of build and grow leaders one way, and it's the way that's worked before, so you replicate that, right? You know, you hired an engineer for this role and the engineer did really well, and then you look at the job responsibilities and you decide, "Well, they must have an engineering degree to do this well," even though the job responsibilities don't necessarily require the engineering degree. But then, you know, for the rest of eternity it requires the engineering degree, right? So I think that organizations lean in to what they can attest to, right? What they can say they have. I think inclusivity is about behavior, and so I do think the organization can be inclusive, can behave in a way where everyone feels respected, valued and included, they feel like they can [tie?] to performance, but I would push further to say, "But do those behaviors really exist if it's not a diverse workforce?" Because it means that there's some bar of entry, right?Zach: Right, stated or otherwise.Pamela: Yeah, stated or otherwise. Like, and I think organizations will say, "Well, we're based in Iowa, and it's not that diverse," or, like, "We're a family company, and so we're sort of small and, you know, we're just word-of-mouth," and my question is always, you know, "What is the opportunity?" Right? I did some work in rural Minnesota [laughing] a few months ago, and I was like--I thought it was in, like, the Twin Cities, in Minneapolis, and then, like, two days before they were like, "Okay, when you land we need to pick you up, and it's a 5-hour drive north." I was like, "Oh, my God. We're going to Canada." [both laugh] Like, I was not prepared for that, but it was really fascinating because I had a perception of what it's like to live in rural Minnesota and that it was probably predominantly white people, but there's several large Indian tribes. There's a growing, like, Somali population in the state of Minnesota generally. There's, like, this sort of large [?] Chinese enclave and I think a Vietnamese population, right? So during the course of this session that I was delivering and this conversation we were having, I could easily imagine an organization based in rural Minnesota saying, "Well, we're not diverse because, like, the people aren't here," but in the course of this conversation with their community foundations it's like, "Well, it sounds like there's a lot of different people here," right? So I think the thing that I would push on for an organization saying, "We're really inclusive and we have diversity of thought, you know," or "We're just not--a diverse population isn't interested in working here," or, like, "We've tried to recruit and it doesn't work," or, you know, "Most of our hires are through referral or word-of-mouth," I would just push on that and say, "Is that the best way to source candidates? Is that the best way to bring innovation into your organization? Is that the best way to look at things differently?" Like, there's an opportunity in that that I think organizations don't necessarily claim. They sort of talk it away. Like, no. It's your responsibility as an organization to explore that opportunity in my opinion, particularly again as we tie to performance, because if you're not doing it, then you're not doing everything you can to enhance the performance in the organization.Zach: So, you know, and you've talked about performance quite a bit, like, in terms of you've said the term and you've talked about tying it back. Can you give us, like, a practical example of what it means to tie inclusion to performance?Pamela: The easiest thing for people to relate to is an individual example, is to say, "If I feel encumbered in any way, if I feel--" So I worked for... I'll give you an example personally. So I worked for a woman for a long time who, on its face, identity-wise, we were very similar, and she sort of self-identified herself as my mentor, and I worked with her and I would complete projects for her in briefings. In the federal space briefings are a big deal, so you sort of work on them. They're very detailed, and you know in consulting as well, right? Like, you prep a deck, right, for a presentation, and the details are important, and it gets reviewed by all of the important people, and then someone delivers it. And so at the time I was much more junior and I wouldn't be the person who delivered it, but we'd be in these meetings and, because I'm the one who prepared it, right--the person who prepared it knows all the details. They know why the period is in that specific place--and so there'd be questions, and she clearly wouldn't know the answers to those questions. She'd sort of look at me, and I would answer the question, and then sometimes I would, like, throw in my two cents about it because that is my way. [laughs] And whenever I had--like, whenever I sort of got too big in my boots or, like, had too much of a thought about it, she would stop me in front of everyone and say, "Pamela, as your mentor, I think that's a private conversation we need to have. I need to give you some guidance on that. Let's not--" You know, that kind of thing, and so I think that--Zach: Hold on, hold on, hold on. Before you just fly past that. [both laugh] Had someone said that to me, I'd look at them like [record scratch sfx]. Like, what? You can't just--so what did you say? What did you do?Pamela: I mean, I was--so, you know, power was at play, right? Like, I was a--at that time, in that role, I was a contractor. I wasn't even, like a full-time employee. I was an on-site contractor for this work, and so in front of all these senior leaders and, you know, at the behest of my boss, I didn't really feel like I had an option. I mean, I needed my job. [laughs] So I would sort of shut up and just, you know, "Sorry about that. Look forward to talking to you about it privately," right? And just try to move through and control my facial expressions, but when we think about performance, right, that's very limiting, and so, like, that only had to happen a handful--you know, I'm a quick learner. Like, that only had to happen a handful of times before I understood that I didn't really need to be giving anyone my best ideas, and I frankly didn't need to be putting my best ideas into these briefings. Like, if she was gonna do them and she didn't need my thoughts, right? I think it's the same as, you know, you often hear in diversity, in terms of inclusion and best practices, about amplification, which came out of the Obama White House. The senior policy women realized that they were being skipped over. I mean, that is a direct connection to performance. You've got this idea, or you're all trying to solve a problem, you have a suggestion, and it's ignored. I mean, how many times do you keep doing that before you just decide, like, "You know what? I'm not gonna do it." Like, "It's not worth it," right?Zach: Listen, it takes--and it's funny because, like, the older I've gotten, the shorter my fuse is with that stuff, right? Like, if I take the time and I really put together things--'cause, you know, at a certain point, you know, you live life long enough [and] you don't really need validation on every single thing, so you know if you put a good idea forward and people just glaze over it or they ignore you or they co-opt it in some way, it's like, "Ah, okay. All right, I'll keep those for myself from now on." [laughs] Pamela: So I think these sorts of slights are limiting to performance, and I think that if we were to look at, like, team dynamics, right, the boss who minimizes certain people while elevating other people, that inhibits performance, and you rely on--I mean, management is the highest calling. Like, in a manager's role, you have infinite impact because you're impacting the performance of your entire team, and you're very much a connector, right? When you think of sort of middle management, you're a connector between the front line and then the operational or strategic perspective in the organization, and so you look at a manager who's doing that over the course of their, you know, 20-year career as a manager managing people and what sort of impact does that have on the performance of that team over the long term and how that team interacts with other teams and how we solve problems? So I think--and, you know, you look at retail, and of course, like, the common example, right, is the Starbucks incident a couple of years ago or Sephora last year. I mean, if that's not inhibiting performance, I don't know what it is. The performance in retail is whether you have consumers who are buying, and so if you've got whole groups of the population who you've shown through this mishap and through this behavior that they're not welcome in your space or you're not interested in them consuming, I mean, that has a serious impact on performance. Zach: You know what? And it's interesting because as you say that I think about, like, another really practical--like, a performance indicator, it's just around, like, the retention of your team, right? So, like, in tech there's this--at least from a marketing perspective--there's an ongoing push for these tech spaces to be more inclusive, to be more diverse, to be more welcoming of underrepresented employees, not just at the--at the non-manager levels, but at the manager and senior manager and executive levels as well, and yet, like, we're seeing that, like, these tech companies are just burning--first of all, tech is, like, a high-burn--like, consulting, [?], like, those different groups are high-burn places for everybody, and they're particularly high-burn for underrepresented folks, right? Black and brown women, LGTBQ, of course trans individuals. It's high, high, high, high-burn, high-turnover for these spaces, and it's interesting because I don't know--I'm a manager. Like, I'm the manager at a fairly large tech consulting firm, and retention of my team or, you know, how I'm able to help retain or drive retention of underrepresented folks is not measured. Now, I'm rewarded for recruiting people in. If I can refer somebody and bring 'em in, I have very hefty rewards for that, but what isn't measured, for me anyway, explicitly is how we make sure those people say.Pamela: I think, like, also the other reality of sort of consulting environments and high-burn, high-churn organizations is that we often dismiss people who leave as, like, it's a failing on their part, so we feel like people left 'cause they can't hack it, like, they can't cut it, it's too intense. I think more and more organizations are getting better at this, but I think lots of organizational cultures are designed to say, like, "That's not our responsibility." Like, "I got you here. It's not necessarily my responsibility to keep you." They don't say that. Like, on their face--you know, publicly they talk about the value of retention and strategies to retain people and, you know, exit interviews, but culturally the organization--someone will leave and then everyone else will hear, like, "Oh, they weren't really cut out for this anyway," or, like, "It's okay that they're not here anymore." So I think some of that cultural reality makes it tough too. Zach: There's a dollar value though with turnover. It costs money for people to leave, right? So unless, like, someone is, like, a legal risk to the company, 7, 8 times out of 10 it's cheaper to keep 'em, you know what I mean? And so it's just odd--it's odd to me that we're not... and I don't know. You know, I'm not a lawyer. Maybe we'll bring on somebody later in the season around, like, why is it that the recruitment efforts are so, like, so emphasized and marketed but the retention efforts aren't, because--I mean, I know enough about human resources to know that hiring somebody just to have them leave, like, a year, year and a half later is just, like, a crazy cost, right? And so even if, to your point around the culture, like, if we're not talking about from a moral perspective or even an ethical perspective, even if you just look at it from, like, a dollars perspective, there should be some type of focus on that, and I really want to take that and then get into this next piece. So I think that leads me well into my next question about inclusivity and employee engagement. I think it's fair though, before we get into that, for us to define what employee engagement actually means. So as a subject matter expert and just from your perspective, Pam, how do you define employee engagement?Pamela: So I think a lot of organizations talk about fit, and I think in the realm of diversity and inclusion, and particularly bias, conversations, fit is a bit of a four-letter word, and I think organizations put the burden of fit on the person who works in the organization. So, you know, they have to fit in our team. And I would argue that the burden is actually on the organization to create an environment where people fit, right? Like, where they can lean into their strengths and make a contribution, which I think ultimately what everyone wants to do. I mean, we all go to work for a paycheck, but you have a choice about where you get that paycheck from and how you spend your time. So I think the burden is on the organization to create environments where people can fit regardless of their identity, where their identity is not a hindrance to them fitting, quote-unquote, in the organization, and if such an environment is created, I think that helps employee engagement. I think that is a determining factor to employee engagement. If I feel like I belong in the organization, like I fit, like they've made space for me to be exactly who I am and make a contribution that I find meaningful that also contributes to the bottom line of the organization, then I am engaged, and that includes, you know, everything from organizational policies that tell me that I belong there to how my manager treats me or how my colleagues engage with me. Zach: And, you know, it's interesting because I know that, like, this idea around employee engagement, a lot of times--I did some work with... this was, like, before I was a consultant, but I was a part of this energy company, and Gallup was doing this whole, like, employee engagement survey for them.Pamela: Yeah. "Do you have a best friend at work?" [both laugh] That's their, like, infamous question.Zach: Yo, that's, like--boy. And no shade to Gallup 'cause I want y'all to come on here, but when they asked that at the time--this was some years ago--boy, you would have thought they figured out THE question to ask. I was like, "It's one question. It's one question, guys. Like, it's okay. Yep. We get it. It's not a huge indicator of a lot, but okay, great." But in that work with Gallup I remember that, like, one of the key talking points they had was like, "Look, employee disengagement isn't just, like, when the person is crossing their arms at their desk or always taking vacation or always sick or actively searching for another job on their computer," right? It's earlier than that, right? It's not that extreme. So I'm curious, like, what has your experience and research shown you how employee disengagement manifests and then how it's related to inclusive workspaces?Pamela: I think--like, as a manager, when you look sort of out across your team, there are people who are excited to be there. So I think it's less about--I think, again, sometimes we put the burden of employee engagement on the employee. Like, they're on Facebook at work or they're, like, you know, keeping Amazon in business during working hours, or they're showing up late or whatever, and we turn it into a discussion around, like, employee behavior and etiquette, but I think there's, like, a great--I mean, I think many people have great professional integrity, and they'll be disengaged and wouldn't be so belligerent in their behavior, right? [both laugh] They would, you know, search for their new job after hours on their home computer. And I think it's when they come in--and they would even continue trying to, like, do a good job and make a contribution, but, you know, they're doing what's asked and not necessarily coming to you with additional ideas, and they're not collaborating, right? You assign them something and you--I mean, engaged employees are actively engaged with their team, not only when they're directed to do so. So I think the sort of solitary nature of an employee is an early indicator that they're not engaged, right? Because when I'm engaged and I have something exciting--and I work remotely, so you have to be even more sort of deliberate about how you connect with people, but, you know, when I'm engaged and I'm excited about what I'm working on, I mean, I will call my colleagues just to say, like, "I want to hear what you think about this," or, like, "I just got this exciting--you know, a client just asked me for this thing. I'm sort of excited about it and would like to hear your ideas," or "Can I run this by you," right? I think how they're engaging, not just from an, I don't know, administrative standpoint in terms of, like, do they show up on time? [both laugh] It's more about, you know, are they working in isolation? Or are you seeing them actively engage with other people in the office? Do they have things at their desk that are of a personal nature? You know, I think people who don't feel like it's a right fit are much more cautious about that, right? They don't have pictures of their kids up or their partner, their puppy, right? You know, what do they do at lunch? And what does that behavior look like? So I think it comes across in how they're relating to other people in the organization.Zach: Right? And so when I think about what it means for leaders then to not undermine inclusivity or engagement at work, right? Like, I mean, I believe it calls for a much higher level of emotional intelligence and general empathy than we're giving folks credit for, and I question if organizations are doing everything they need to be doing to develop those muscles for leaders to even be sensitive and aware of those pieces that you just outlined, right? Because everyone has their own motivations, they have their own insecurities, they have their own pressures, and so it's--I empathize with the idea that okay, you have these leaders coming in, and they have these different metrics and things they have to hit, and also they need to be highly astute and aware of where their employee is, if they're paying attention, if they as leaders are creating an environment or opportunities for them to collaborate. If they're modeling collaboration, right? Like, in your work with FranklinCovey, have you had situations where you've had to have those types of conversations with leaders on how they can create more engaging environments?Pamela: I talk about that every day. I mean, I think that's a big thrust of our approach around unconscious bias and really all of our content. So I think emotional intelligence had a moment, right? It had a time, and it was a word that people were using, but it's sort of like self-awareness. Like, people say it's really important that you're, you know, self-aware as a lead, and everyone says, "I'm very self-aware," and then you talk to them for 5 minutes and you're like, "I don't know that you know what self-aware means," right?Zach: "I don't think you are." [both laugh]Pamela: "I don't think you're using that term correctly." So I think emotional intelligence is sort of similar. Like, you know, people know the four dimensions of emotional intelligence. You know, it's sort of like their DiSC profile. Like, they'll say, "I'm an EITJ," or whatever, and it just becomes this, like, default of, like, "I am" or "I am not." I believe emotional intelligence is a skill that you can build, and I think empathy is important, but I also think curiosity is important. You know, our CEO Bob Whitman did an interview recently, and he said curiosity is the #1 leadership competency or quality that he looks for in a person, and I just feel so strongly about that, because I think you can't be empathetic around information that you don't have. Like, I can't just--the goal is not to just be an empath who feels everyone's feelings. The goal is to learn something about someone that helps you relate to them. So as we were prepping, you know, for the interview, I talked about my kids, and you mentioned that you are welcoming a child soon. This is a point of connection. We can have some empathy about that, right? I can immediately think about what it was like when my kids first showed up and how lovely that was and the sort of high emotion of that experience, or, you know, you could hear me talk about my three-year-old and think, "Oh, wow. In three years I'll have a three-year-old." [both laugh] So I think that the curiosity piece is really important, and I think as managers--what I talk to managers quite often about is making the time for that. I think managers feel, particularly first-line leaders, you know, they were in a role as an individual contributor. They get promoted to that first-line leadership level, and they often still continue to do their individual contributor role and try to manage people.Zach: Right, on top of that.Pamela: On top of that, and there's just not enough time to do it. So of course you have to delegate and you have to trust your people, and there are strategies for how you can build trust in your people, build the capability of your people, but that has to be your new focus, and part of that is making some real time to cultivate connection among your team. And so, like, we'll talk with managers. We talk quite often at FranklinCovey about the value and importance of having one-on-ones and having a structure for those one-on-ones so that they're meaningful. It's not just a drive-by at your desk, right? It's not a weekly staff meeting, but actually having a one-on-one with people. And I'll talk to managers and they say, "Well, we have our annual performance review," and it's like... that's ridiculous. You can't have this conversation once, and around a performance document no less, right? So the one time that we engage in a one-on-one meeting, it's gonna be a high-stakes conversation, right?Zach: Where your livelihood is directly on the line.Pamela: Exactly. So I talk to leaders all the time about making the time and also being--you know, there are lots of introverts and lots of people to whom personal engagement doesn't feel natural, particularly at work, 'cause I think we're still fighting a little bit of the battle of, like, "I have a work persona and I have a personal persona," and I just--you know, one of the models we use at FranklinCovey to think about that is the whole person paradigm and just that you don't leave parts of yourself at home, right? You're a whole person all the time, and I really ascribe to that. I believe in that level of authenticity, and I think that we need to work deliberately to build that level of authenticity across teams. Managers need to ensure that they do know what someone's career goals are. Like, where do they see themselves in the future, and what are they interested in, and what are they excited about working on, and who do they really like to work with, and who are they challenged by, and, as a manager, can I find opportunities for them to connect with somebody they're challenged by so that we can improve our total dynamic, right? I worked for--in college, you know, I worked in college, and the best manager I've ever had I worked for in college, and she sort of sat me down and was like, you know, "I know that you work here and we have these goals around what we're doing." I worked in the student activity center, and we did programming around diversity and inclusion actually, and she said, "But you're a college student sort of at the beginning of your career and life, and it's important to not be myopic in terms of how you look at your goals." And so she gave me a little handout, and it had all of these different categories. It was like, finances and health and wellness and relationships and my family, and she said, "Every three months, every quarter, we're gonna sit down and just look at this and look at what your goals are. I'm gonna share with you my goals," right? So there was some vulnerability in it. It wasn't just like, "I will divulge my whole life story and you'll coach me through it." She was also sharing her goals, and particularly at a time--like, in college, my goal was, like, "I do not want to get my cell phone cut off again. I need to find a way to pay this bill," right? [laughs] And hers was "We're gonna buy a house." I was like, "Wow, a house," right? Like, the process of getting through a mortgage. Like, there's just--it's a small example of how a manager built connection with me through curiosity and empathy. She was vulnerable about what her goals were. She took the time to have this quarterly conversation with me. She created a space where I could talk about my whole self and everything I was dealing with at that moment in my life, and I think managers can do that on different scales based on the organizational culture and what is and is not appropriate to discuss and all that, but managers can do something like that with every member of their team, and they should, right? We shouldn't be having one annual performance conversation with your team. You shouldn't also--there are lots of employees who say they only speak to their manager to get assignments, right? So their manager just does drive-bys at their desk or calls them into their office to say, "Here, work on this," and never have, like, a more meaningful--Zach: Really transactional.Pamela: Really transactional, exactly, and for managers--managers will also lean into that. They'll say, "Well, no. It's just that I'm really efficient and I don't like to spend time and chit-chat," and that kind of thing, and it's more than that. It's not chit-chat. It's not--there's substance to having a meaningful conversation with somebody.Zach: That's just so true. So you've talked about bias and, like, you've used the term bias. You've even said unconscious bias. It seems as if the default any time we talk about bias within the diversity and inclusion space is that it's unconscious. Do you think that's a fair observation, and if so, why do you think that, when we talk about bias, we're often talking about unconscious bias and not just bias?Pamela: I think that's fair. I think--you know, really critical to any conversation I have about bias is about bringing the unconscious to consciousness, but also acknowledging that conscious bias exists. So I think unconscious bias can sometimes be used negatively, just like diversity of thought, but diversity of thought is really valuable, but it shouldn't be the reason you don't have diversity in other dimensions. And unconscious bias is really important, and it doesn't negate the reality that there are very conscious biases that exist and impact people's decisions. So I always include that in any conversation that I'm having about bias or any facilitation I'm doing, and the distinction is that conscious bias are things we can state directly. And so, like, once you can say it, it's no longer an unconscious bias. So you'll hear people say, like, "I have an unconscious bias around mothers of young children." Like, "I really just don't want to be hiring mothers of young children."Zach: Right, and that's a conscious bias. You just--you just said it. [laughs]Pamela: Right. Once you've said it it's not unconscious anymore, and it's important for people to reconcile that. You know, you're running interviews, and for all of the candidates of color you're asking them about, like, office etiquette, you know? Appropriate dress attire and showing up to work on time and how to, like, provide good customer service, and then for all of your, like, non-person of color, your white candidates, you're asking them about, like, the substantive job responsibilities, right? And then someone brings it to your attention--because interviews are often done in panel. There's usually more than one person at the interview, which is best practice, and they say, "Hey, I noticed that we spent, like, an inordinate amount of time with some of those candidates talking about what time they need to be at work, and I feel like at this level of a position that's not that significant. And I sort of noticed that you only asked some of them that and not others," and they're like, "Oh. Well, you know, I had this black lady working for me once and she was always late, and I just want to make sure that that doesn't happen again." Right? [laughs] Well, sounds like you've got a bias around that. I mean, once it's been brought to your attention, you don't get to keep doing it. Like, you don't get to keep making decisions through that frame, right? You have to work to mitigate the potential negative impact of that bias. So I think that any conversation around unconscious bias should include discussion about conscious bias and some of the real conscious bias that we have about, you know, employees at work and who should be in roles of authority and power, who should be promoted, or what kind of--you know, whether that is, you know, "We have this big project, but it requires lots of travel. We probably don't want Pamela to do that. She's got those little kids," or "She's taking care of her mother who's sick." Like, there's a bias in that. You should have a conversation with me about that. That affects my employment and my potential and possibilities in the organization. So I just think they come hand-in-hand and one can't be used as an excuse to ignore the other.Zach: No, I think it's just a great point, and I think the reason--so for me, it genuinely grinds my gears, because a lot of times I think D&I is often framed from the context of, again, like, majority comfort. So I believe that there's a lot of language where we kind of--and it's subtle, and it's kind of inserted all across. So diversity of thought, unconscious bias, sometimes in ways to just kind of give folks an out, and so I don't ever--I can tell you I don't ever hear conversations around conscious and unconscious bias. I hear it and it almost just automatically defaults to "unconscious," almost in a way to say, like, "It's not your fault," right? Like, it absolves you of responsibility as opposed to, "Okay, you have some actual biases, and they're true. Like, these are actual real biases that you have and you conduct and you're aware of, and they're not all mistakes," and I think sometimes when you talk about diversity and inclusion, when we're not talking about actual biases--and again, not in a way that tries to make white folks feel bad, but in a way that is just honest, I think that can lead to more productive conversations. We're in an era today where, you know, the 2020 election is coming up. We had a whole--a large part of America came to really see itself four years ago, and I think we have, like, another one of these instances coming up. It's, like, one of the rare times I think in this space that we can start pointing to things and say, "Hey, this is a lightning-rod moment. This is a lightning-rod moment." And I think we would be behooved to figure out a way to be a little bit more honest and intentional with calling out some of these things. I think it's really dope that the way that you frame these conversations is in the context of conscious and unconscious, but I can tell you, like, I have never heard anybody do that.Pamela: Yeah. I think a couple of things as you were talking came to mind. I think, you know, making white folks comfortable is an important part of work around diversity and inclusion, right? I do think we have too many internal conversations that, like, leave out that group of people, and it's important for us to--it's important for them to feel like they can join the conversation and help make progress, right, help make impact, and I think it's a fine line, right? Like, it's a fine line, and I walk it every day in my professional life to ensure that people feel like they can be part of the conversation without being accused of anything, and I work hard to create a space where people feel like they can be vulnerable and sort of divulge biases that they may realize, right, over the course of the conversation that we've had. The other thing that I think is problematic, the other sort of side of this, is, like, the call-out culture, that we don't actually--the more sort of "woke" our culture gets for... you know, lack of--I feel like I date myself when I say "woke." I'm like--Zach: No, it's okay. People will be using "woke" for another 10 years and, you know, most black and brown folks will be off it. It's okay. [both laugh]Pamela: But I think one of the challenges with, like, "woke" culture is that, like, we don't let people make mistakes, and people don't--so I think those two things are counter-balancing. Those things are--like, there's tension there in that, where we want to call things what they are, which I feel--you know, I feel strongly about, like, let's not use euphemisms to describe things. Let's talk about what the challenges are. Like, why is it that even in my unconscious bias work, lots of organizations will say, "Well, we really want to focus on gender diversity," right? Or "We really want to focus on our domestic workforce versus our global workforce." I haven't had, to this point, a single organization... maybe that's not true, but I haven't had very many organizations tell me "We want to talk about race," or, like, "We want to talk about trans people," right? So I think that there are some final frontiers around diversity and inclusion that organizations are not interested in addressing, and we have to get them interested in addressing those things. We have to name that and say, "It's important for us to also talk about race," right? We can't limit-

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This week, Scott sits down with FranklinCovey CEO, and his boss, Bob Whitman, to discuss lessons in leadership and how to lead in difficult situations.

Glavcot Rabbit Breed   This episode is about the very rare Glavcot Rabbit Breed, the medical condition of Rabies, and a Burmese Golden Rabbit Folktale!!! Introduction I chose the Silver Glavcot breed to cover this episode, but in the research I came across the Golden variety, so we are going to cover all the varieties of Glavcot. The Golden Glavcot is an extremely rare breed of fine-boned, red colored rabbit that enthusiasts believe was originally developed for the fur trade. The breed became extinct, but was recreated in the 1960s minus the blue and silver variations of the type, which remain extinct. Many fanciers do not like the Golden Glavcot or ‘GG’ as they are somewhat affectionately known, as they still resemble their wild cousins, however those that do choose to breed or keep these rabbits are rewarded by a very affectionate, sweet and placid companion. Breed History By: Bob Whitman Glavcots are a British breed that had been extinct for many years, until it was recreated by Mr. J. Irons in the late 1960s. To create the breed, Irons used three brown breeds: Brown Beveren, Havana and the modern-day Siberian. It took Mr Irons more than 15 years to get the recipe just right, but the first examples were eventually shown in Doncaster in 1976. The Golden Glavcot was not liked by most fanciers, but one special lady from Scotland, Miss Meg Brown. Mrs Brown took an interest in the breed and decided to continue with Mr Irons’ efforts to develop the true Golden Glavcot type. It was during Mrs Brown’s attempts that the wild rabbit was introduced to the mix. Eventually the desired type was achieved and the Golden Glavcot was established and re-introduced to the rabbit world. Irons told Meg Brown how to carry on with the breed, which she did until 2002, when forced to give up her rabbits due to health reasons by order of her doctors. Dear Meg told me(Bob Whitman) that she crossed in wild rabbits to improve the color of the Golden Glavcot. No one seems to know just why the name Glavcot was ever chosen for the breed. There was a Silver Glavcot during the first quarter of the 1900's, which appears from a print that I have to have been a Lilac form of the breed, but this color is long ago extinct. The breed is only recognized in the United Kingdom, and being kept alive by a small band of fanciers. A rather small breed, which weighs in at 2.26 to 2.72 kilos, or 5 to 6 pounds England is the original home of the Silver Glavcot, which was rather popular during the teens and twenties of the 20th century, but has since become extinct. This breed was also found in the United States during the 1920's, having been imported by Marcellus M. Meek in 1925, and became quite popular in the area of southern California. A Mr. M.L. Thayer of Los Angeles created an American version of the Silver Glavcot by crossing the American Blues to Champagne D' Argents, then interbreeding the first generations. Thayer's Silver Glavcots were of a larger size and carried the mandolin type of the American breed, whereas the British version was very cobby in type. The English Silver Glavcot was created by O. Millsum and named by a Mr. Wesley T. Page. The Silver Glavcot was a dilute steel, a blue agouti but with no agouti banding and had a colored stomach fur instead of white. The late geneticist Roy Robinson said the breed could be recreated by using a steel colored rabbit as a male and breed with Blue Beveren females. Then the steel offspring from the first crossing would need to be mated back to the Blue Beveren. Silver Glavcots were a beautiful colored rabbit as painted by Wippell in the early 1920's for Fur and Feather. It appears no one knows why the breed was given the name Glavcot. The Golden Glavcot is a breed of domestic rabbit recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). It is a small rabbit, weighing 5–6 lb (2.3–2.7 kg), with a golden-roan coat . The Golden Glavcot was recreated in the 1960s. Today, it is a member of the BRC's "Rare Varieties Club". As such a rare breed that has already been brought back from extinction once, little is known about the origins of the GG, apart from the fact that it is likely it was originally bred as a fur animal and it’s this that probably contributed to its eventual demise and extinction. Today unfortunately only a small handful of breeders still breed them. Appearance Main colorways: Red roan Average weight: 2.3 – 2.7kg This is a fine-boned rabbit that boasts a ‘mandolin’ shape. The ears are of a proportionate length, always held upright and are the same color as the body. The head is a moderate size and covered with soft, fine fur. It sits at the end of a fairly short, delicate neck which is of a similar color to the rest of the body, with a visible ticking. The legs and feet are straight and fine and have a blueish under-color. The rest of the Golden Glavcot’s coloring starts with a wide band of grey which graduates into the brown and each hair is tipped with a pale roan. The body is interspersed with darker brown, with a lighter shade on the neck. The chest and flanks are also a lighter shade, which melts into a lighter shade still. The tail is carried straight and is the same colour as the body, with the same under-color as the underside of the body. Temperament As a relatively new breed, the Golden Glavcot is still displaying parts of its character, but it is renowned for being friendly and very affectionate. As long as they are allowed to get used to human company when they’re young, they will love lots of cuddles. As with all prey animals, rabbits can be skittish and can panic if they feel uncomfortable or vulnerable. It’s vital that any rabbit is handled correctly to prevent them panicking while being held as although it’s a delicate breed, the GG is very strong and can injure itself or its handler if it struggles while being held. They are a very docile breed, make excellent mothers and produce good sized litters. Golden Glavcot Health As a rare and new rabbit, health problems within the breed are still being documented and it appears to be relatively healthy. However there are some conditions and issues that can affect any rabbit and any owner should monitor their pet for these. The teeth of rabbits grow continually and can cause a number of problems if they’re allowed to overgrow. Injuries in the mouth and difficulty eating, as well as runny eyes and noses are just some of the symptoms of overgrown teeth and a vet’s advice should be sought if you suspect problems with your rabbit’s mouth. No rabbit should be allowed to get overweight as he will have difficulty grooming and if his coat gets soiled he could be vulnerable to flystrike; a distressing condition where flies, attracted by dirty areas of fur, lay eggs in the rabbit’s coat. The resulting maggots can burrow under the skin and cause raw, open wounds. Does not intended for breeding may benefit from being spayed as uterine cancer is common in rabbits. Caring for a Golden Glavcot Most GGs are kept as show animals and are therefore often kept in hutches in sheds. This set up means that they are allowed to get used to the elements, but are protected from the worst of the weather. It’s important that any hutch is weather and waterproof (if a shed isn’t available) and any shed is well lit and well ventilated. The hutch should also have a solid floor to prevent problems with sore hocks and lined with plenty of hardwood shavings and straw which must be removed completely at least once a week. The GG can be kept indoors, but as a small animal care should be taken not to step on him or trap him anywhere. He can be taught to use a litter tray and as long as wires and other important items are kept out of reach and he has a cage or crate to retire to, he’ll be a happy bunny. His diet should comprise good quality hay and pellets, as well as fibrous green leaves like kale, cabbage and dandelion. He should also have access to clean drinking water at all times. Welcome to the American Glavcot Rabbit Society. The American Glavcot Rabbit Society(AGRS) is dedicated to the breeding, showing and promotion of the Glavcot rabbit. Established in 2017 the AGRS is one of the newest specialty clubs in the United States for one of the newest up and coming breeds. The club was formed to bring together like minded people with dreams of saving this rare European breed of rabbit while working to see it as an accepted breed with the American Rabbit Breeders Association(ARBA). We would like to invite anyone to join who would like to help with the conservation of this breed as well as those wishing to support the breeders in their endeavor as we advance towards a Certificate of Development through the ARBA. Whats exciting is that not only would they like to promote the Golden Glavcot but they want to try and re create the Silver Glavcot and they also want to create new colors. This site with all of its wealth of information and knowledge is dedicated to three very important people who have directly and indirectly made this dream a reality. Those people are the late Meg Brown of Scotland who kept the Glavcot breed alive when nobody else would and dedicated so much of her life to improving on the previous work of Mr. Irons, the late Bob Whitman who introduced the founding President of this club to the breed through his book "Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories: Breeds of The World". Bob was an extraordinary man with much love for this hobby as well as a vast amount of knowledge who is dearly missed, and last but not least Steve Tolton of the UK for his support and willingness to help in anyway he can to make the rise of Glavcots in America a reality. The club is extremely grateful for his help and everything he has done and continues to do. Proposed Breed Standard Of Perfection GLAVCOT Please note this is not a working standard accepted by the ARBA Standards Committee. This is solely to give breeders working with or interested in working with the Glavcot breed a marker point to keep the early versions of the breed consistent throughout development. Also, please note this proposed Standard is the intellectual property of Tyler Tedford and is not allowed to be copied or reproduced without permission. COPYRIGHT 2018 Proposed Future Varieties SELFS All Varieties To Show Together Black - Color is to be an intense glossy black running deep towards the skin blending into a slate-blue under-color. Eyes - Brown Blue - Color is to be a rich clear dark blue running deep towards the skin blending into a slate-blue under-color. Eyes - Blue-Gray Chocolate - Color is to be a deep glossy dark chocolate brown running deep towards the skin blending into a dove-gray under-color. Eyes - Brown(Ruby cast permissible.) Lilac - Color is to be a medium dove-gray with a slight pink hue cast over the entire coat. Color is to be carried deep towards the hair shaft blending into a slightly paler under-color. Eyes - Blue-Gray(Ruby cast permissible) White - Color is to be a pure white. Eyes - Pink The Golden Glavcot is an accepted breed of the BRC. BRC GOLDEN GLAVCOT BREED STANDARD Ring Size D Points 1) Colour 35 2) Texture & Density of Fur 35 3) Type 30 Total 100 1. Colour - A broad band of slate, merging into brown, tipped with light roan, the whole body interspersed with dark brown, nape of neck light brown, flanks and chest ticking off to a uniform shade slightly lighter than the body, under parts of body cream with slate under colour. Tail to match body colour on top and belly colour underneath, to be carried in a straight line. 2. Texture and density of fur - Very soft, fine and dense. Length of fur about 2.54cm (1in) 3. Type - Mandoline shaped and fine boned, dewlap undesirable, ears of medium length and erect, matching the body in colour. Head of medium size, free from coarseness, well carried on short neck, matching bone, upper parts of uniform shade and ticked to the body colour. Feet and legs, straight and fine with blue undercolour. Weight 2.26-2.72kg (5-6lb.). Firm in flesh, bright eyes and glossy coat. DISQUALIFICATIONS - White patches on body. FAULTS - Odd coloured eyes to lose 5 points. Drooping or lopped ears 10 points. White patches on feet 10 points. Black or white nose 10 points. One breeder says that anyone who comes into the rabbitry say 'oh wild rabbits', but the best summation has to be a 6 year old girl who saw them and turned to her mum saying 'look they've got Peter Rabbit', and I have to agree that they do have the same look. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Glavcot https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/breeds/rabbits/golden-glavcot/ http://taraxstudrabbits.wixsite.com/tarax-stud/our-rare-breeds https://americanglavcot.webs.com/ http://hiphopsbunnies.weebly.com/the-rare-golden-glavcot.html http://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/Mono%20Breeds%20Standards%202016-2020.pdf Rabies in Rabbits Rabies is a very severe and almost always fatal viral disease that occurs commonly in warm-blooded animals, including rabbits. It typically results in the swelling of the brain and nervous system, which can result in paralysis, blindness, aggression, mood changes, and other symptoms. Symptoms and Types The signs and symptoms of this disease vary depending on the species affected, as rabies can affect other animals, including dogs and cats, and even people. It is actually not common among rabbits, but can affect them. Typically, the signs and symptoms include: Fever Blindness Lethargy Difficulty swallowing Abnormal salivating or slobbering Loss of movement or partial paralysis of limbs Anxiety or irritability, aggression or other behavioral changes Dropping of the jaw or lack of mobility in the jaw (slack jaw) Causes Rabies is usually transmitted from the bite of another infected animal. However, because it is viral, it can enter through any wound on the rabbit's body. It can also enter through the mucous membrane and spread throughout the sensory neurons -- which relay information to the nervous system -- and salivary glands in the body. Diagnosis Any animal demonstrating mood and behavior changes, especially “aggressive” tendencies, must be tested for rabies. Abnormal neurological problems which are unaccounted for may be a sign of rabies. Other diseases that may cause these types of neurological symptoms may include brain tumors or abscesses, lead poisoning, parasitic infections or tetanus. The veterinarian will collect a sample of nervous tissue. If the rabbit is diagnosed with rabies, it will likely be put down (euthanized) because the disease is fatal. All rabbits suspected of, or formally diagnosed with, rabies receive inpatient care, and must be isolated and quarantined, sometimes for up to six months. Humans handling the animal should be investigated for disease exposure, as well. There are no formal treatments for the disease, and unfortunately, most animals diagnosed with rabies are euthanized. Living and Management To inactivate the virus, you need to disinfect (with bleach) any areas in the home where the animal was. Other animals that may have come into contact with the infected rabbit should also be checked and probably quarantined, as well. There are state and local regulations that must be followed in such cases. Be sure to follow up with your local veterinarian and state health officials for more information. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/neurological/c_rb_rabies Burmese Folk-tales(Golden Rabbit and Golden Tiger) 'I have never seen you before,' protested Golden Rabbit. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old thing, thought that it was another Rabbit, and apologized for his mistake. 'I don't blame you either,' said Golden Rabbit generously, 'for I have many brothers and sisters and cousins who all look like me. But friend Tiger, how did you manage to get so many blisters on your back? When Golden Tiger explained how his back came to be covered with blisters, Golden Rabbit said that the best cure for blisters was to rub them against a tree-stump. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old fool, went to a tree-stump and rubbed his back against it with the result that he blisters became torn and bleeding. Golden Tiger in great pain went on, and soon found Golden Rabbit sitting innocently by the wayside. 'You treacherous villain,' cried Golden Tiger in anger. 'I have never seen you before,' lied Golden Rabbit. 'I presume it is a case of mistaken identity, for I have so many brothers and sisters and cousins who look like me.' Golden Tiger believed him and apologized. 'By the way,' said Golden Rabbit, 'your back seems all torn and bleeding. How did it happen?' Golden Tiger related how his back had become covered with blisters, and how he had rubbed them against a tree-stump. Golden Rabbit, looking very sympathetic said that the best cure for torn and bleeding blisters was to roll on one's back on sandy ground. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old fool, went to the sandy shore of a river, and rolled on his back, with the result that the sand got into his wounds, paining him greatly. Golden Tiger went on his way, and after some time he found Golden Rabbit sitting innocently by the wayside. 'You shall not escape me this time,' roared Golden Tiger. 'I don't know you,' replied Golden Rabbit. 'You must be mistaking me for one of my many relations.' Golden Tiger, being a trusting and good-natured old thing, apologized for his mistakes. 'Oh, my poor friend Tiger,' exclaimed the Rabbit, feigning sympathy, 'your back seems to be full of wounds. It is fortunate that I can take you to a wishing well, where you can wish away all your wounds.' 'Go take me to that well,' pleaded Golden Tiger. 'Follow me,' said Golden Rabbit. So Golden Rabbit took Golden Tiger to a nearby well. 'Look down, and wish aloud,' he instructed. As Golden Tiger leaned forward and looked down, Golden Rabbit gave him a push. Golden Tiger fell into the well and was drowned. That was how Golden Rabbit first tormented and then killed the trusting Golden Tiger. The End! http://www.melodymaung.com/2007/05/burmese-folk-talesgolden-rabbit-and.html   © Copyrighted

The Prussian Rabbit Breed Thank you for listening.  If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger. The Prussian Rabbit Breed From the United Kingdom comes a rabbit with the name of Prussian. There has only been one mention of this breed found, which appeared in January 1858 in a publication titled the Cottage Gardner and Country Gentleman, which speaks of a show held in Nottingham in the same month and year where four classes had been provided for rabbits. P. Boulton writes "The Prussian Rabbit - At the Nottingham Show, January 1858, a pair of rabbits were exhibited under this name. They were remarkably small in size, and beautiful in their proportions; they were both white, with pink eyes, their ears were very short, and carried erect. The heads of both buck and doe were rounder than in any other variety. They were timid creatures, so much so that the noise and inspection of the visitors at the Show were sufficient to destroy one of this very interesting pair of rabbits. They are the only pair I have seen, or heard of; and I believe that they were imported, but whether directly from Prussia, or not, I was unable to ascertain." Now as to whether these little white rabbits called Prussian were actually imported from what is now northern Germany or not, we shall never know, but Bob Whitman is of the opinion that theses could well be the very beginning of the breed we now call the Polish Rabbit. THE RABBIT AND THE CRAB http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maya/rabbit.html Once upon a time the rabbit teamed up with the crab to grow some carrots. They worked for several days together in harmony. First they chose the seed and then they planted it. Then they took care of the young plants, the two of them always in agreement. They harvested the crop and separated the tops from the carrots. But the arguments began when the time came to divide the crop. The rabbit wanted to deceive the crab with sweet talk: "See? We have two piles there, a big one and a little one. You can have the big one and I'll take the small one." After seeing that the big pile was of tops and the small one was of carrots, the crab answered: "Thank you very much, my dear friend, but I like to be fair. Let's divide the two piles in half, I'll divide and you choose, or you divide and I'll choose, as you prefer. What do you say?" "No, no! I can't agree," said the rabbit. Let's walk some thirty paces from here and we'll come back running. The first one to get there gets the carrots and the other one gets the tops. What do you say?" "Well, all right,it seems fair to me," answered the crab. "Finally we're in agreement!" said the rabbit. He was very happy, because he was sure he was going to win: "I'm so pleased about this, that if you win, I'm prepared to give you all the carrots and all the tops. Do you agree?" "I agree!" repeated the crab. "There's one other thing," said the rabbit, "since I know you're slower than me, I'm going to give you a ten-pace handicap." "No, that's too much! I can't accept that," said the crab, pretending that he didn't want to take advantage of him. "You're the one that ought to have a ten-pace handicap. I won't take no for an answer." "I accept, I accept," the rabbit hastened to answer, not wanting to contradict him, and glad to do what he asked. That way the other fellow wouldn't get angry, and he threw himself in behind the crab. With this agreement they went together in a friendly fashion to the place where the race was going to start. The rabbit went ahead to take the ten-pace handicap. But, as soon as he turned his back, the crab, who was neither slow nor lazy, seized the rabbit's tail with his claws, without him realizing it. When they came to where the carrots were, the rabbit turned around thinking that he had left the crab far behind. But then the crab opened his claws and fell real quietly on top of the carrots. "Where are you, friend?" the rabbit asked happily when he didn't see him anywhere. "Here I am!" answered the crab behind him. The rabbit jumped with surprise and then stood frozen in his tracks, not believing what he saw. There was the crab, climbing over the piles of carrots: "Here I am! And I got here before you did!" That day was the first time ever that the rabbit lost. He was very sad because he could not understand how the crab got ahead of him. That's how the crab got to keep the carrots. This was the story of the rabbit and the crab. Word of the week: Occupation Plant of the week: Larkspur   © Copyrighted

Fee De Marbourg On this episode I am going to cover the Fee de Marbourg. Now online there is not a lot of information about this breed, for example from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; "The Fee de Marbourg rabbit (or Marburger) is a medium sized rabbit which originates from Germany, with Havana heritage, which is lilac in color." Now much of this history I was able to get from Domestic Rabbits and their Histories by Bob Whitman, which we will have a link to in the show notes. Germany is the original home of the Fee De Marbourg, also know as the Marburger. It was created by Miss Marie Sandemann. In 1912 she was given a rabbit from Mr. L. Peter, who was the caretaker of the school that her nephew attended. Miss Sandemann also raised Havanas, and she was delighted with the unusual color of this particular specimen, which was a doe, that had been breed from Mr. Peter's Havanas. She mated the doe with a silver colored buck, and all the offspring were black. The doe from Mr. Peter died when the litter was 10 weeks old, so she selected a Black doe and mated back to a Havana. In the subsequent litter they were mostly Blacks and Havanas except for one which was thew beautiful grey coloration of the original doe, although this one was a buck. Marie Sandemann quickly set out to fix the color, and showed the breed first as "Feh" in 1915. There was tremendous excitement from fellow fanciers when they first saw the little grey rabbits which carried a light reddish cast to the fur, which is similar to some of the lilacs of today. A rabbit judge by the name of Kemp became excited about the breed and dedicated himself to having them recognized. The breed was given a standard and approved by the Reichsverband Deutscher Kiminchenzuchter in 1924 under the name of Feh De Marbourg. The term "Feh" has been chosen by German furriers to indicate the color, which greatly resembled the Siberian Squirrel. Although the breed is actually a Lilac, the Germans have bred for a deeper color, which sets this breed apart. The breed is recognized in a number of European countries and weigh in at 2 to 3.5 kg or 4lb 6oz to 7lb 11 oz. A second history I found online was from a website called Omlet, which we will have a link to in our show notes. This breed was developed in Germany in 1916. Marburgers were created by crossing Vienna Blues with Havanas. The offspring created were then crossed with light colored black Silvers to create the Marburger breed. This breed was important in the development of the Lux breed. The Marburger breed was officially recognized in Germany in 1920. This breed is only popular and well known on mainland Europe with it being almost unheard of elsewhere. These rabbits weigh between 2 and 3.5kg. Marburger rabbits are friendly, with a lively nature. This breed only comes in the one blue color, and their Status is Rare Sometimes the Fee De Marbourg is mistaken for a Lilac. The Lilac is recognized by both the BRC (British Rabbit Council) and the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association). The Lilac has been called the Essex Lavender and then the Cambridge Blue in the past. It is also known as 'Gouda' and the Dutch Gouwenaar in Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, France and Germany. With many of the Lilacs' being crossed with Havana's such as the cross of the Blue Imperial and a Havana and called it the Essex Lavender, or the cross of a Havana with a Blue Beveran and calling it a Cambridge Blue, it is easy to see how the Fee De Marbourg could be mistaken for a lilac, but the Marburger, which is darker and more bluish than the Lilac, is recognized in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. As we covered, this breed has been breed to be a bit darker and a reddish tone to the "Lilac". https://www.omlet.us/breeds/rabbits/marburger/ http://www.justrabbits.com/lilac-rabbit.html https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.rabbitdaisy.de/rasse-a-m/marburger-feh.htm&prev=search I would like to thank those that purchased through the Amazon link at the Hare of the Rabbit web site, some of those purchases are: Cultures of the World! Brazil, Argentina & Costa Rica - Culture for Kids - Children's Cultural Studies Books My Awesome Japan Adventure: A Diary about the Best 4 Months Ever! Gin and Tonic 4 Spices Kit Gin Flavoring Spices Carmencita Gin Botanicals Donatina Visits Brazil Sara Sushi Visits Japan This weeks item is A 2018 Rabbit Easel Calendar! Beautiful art calendar featuring full-color illustrations throughout Monthly calendars note US national holidays Ample space provided for writing down appointments and special occasions Rabbit Calls a Truce http://www.native-languages.org/penobscotstory.htm In the long ago when Glooscap ruled over the Wabanaki, there lived two lively animals, Keoonik the Otter, and Ableegumooch the Rabbit, who were forever playing tricks on each other. One day, when Keoonik was in swimming, Ableegumooch ran off with a string of eels he had left on the shore. Keoonik rushed out of the water and went in angry pursuit. He had no difficulty in tracking the rabbit, for the mark of the fish, touching the ground between jumps, clearly showed the way. He was astonished, however, when the trail ended at a clearing in the woods where a withered old woman sat by a small fire. "Kwah-ee, Noogumee," said Keoonik, using the formal address for an elderly female. "Did you see a rabbit hopping this way, dragging a string of eels?" "Rabbit? Rabbit?" muttered the old woman. "What kind of animal is that?" The otter explained that it was a small brown jumping creature with long ears and a short tail. "I saw no such animal," the old woman grumbled, "but I'm glad you came along, for I'm cold and sick. Do please gather a little wood for my fire." Obligingly, Keoonik went off to do so. Returning with the wood, he stared around in surprise. The old woman was gone. On the spot where she had sat, he saw the mark of a rabbit's haunches, and familiar paw-prints leading away in to the woods. Then he remembered that Ableegumooch was very clever at changing his appearance and fooling people. "Oh, that miserable rabbit!" cried Keoonik and set off again on the trail. This time the tracks led straight to a village of the Penobscot people, where Keoonik could see the rabbit in conversation with a thin sad man wearing the feather of a Chief in his hair string. The wily otter cut himself a stout stick and waited behind a tree. Presently, Ableegumooch came strolling down the path, his face creased in an absent-minded frown. Keoonik was ready for him. He brought the stick down on the rabbit's head with a thud, and Ableegumooch collapsed on the grass. "That should teach him," thought Keoonik, with satisfaction, and he sat down to wait for the rabbit to recover. Presently Ableegumooch came to his senses and staggered to his feet with a dazed expression. "What did you do with my eels?" demanded Keoonik. "I gave them to the people," muttered the rabbit, exploring the bump on his head with a groan. "What did you do that for, you silly creature?" "Those Penobscots are starving, Keoonik," said the rabbit. "For many moons someone has been stealing their food." "Just the same," grumbled Keoonik, "those were my eels." The rabbit thumped his hind legs on the ground with an air of great determination. "Keoonik, we must find the robbers and punish them!" "We?" asked Keoonik in astonishment. "Yes, you and I," said his companion firmly. "Let there be a truce between us until we discover the thieves." Keoonik thought to himself that Ableegumooch was a fine one to complain of people stealing other people's food! However, he too felt sorry for the Penobscots. "All right," he agreed. "We'll have a truce," and they shook hands solemnly. Then they started back to the village to ask the Chief what they might do to help, but when they were still some way off they saw two other animals talking to him. These were Uskoos the Weasel and Abukcheech the Mouse, two animals so troublesome even their own families would have nothing to do with them. "Let's listen," whispered Ableegumooch, drawing Keoonik behind a tree. "We will find those robbers for you, Chief," they heard Uskoos say. "Don't you worry about a thing." "You can depend on us," chimed in Abukcheech. Ableegumooch nudged the otter. "Did you hear that?" "I heard," said Keoonik. "So the people don't need our help after all." "I wonder," said the rabbit thoughtfully. "What do you wonder? And why are we whispering?" "Shhh! Let's think about it a little, Keoonik. Have you any idea how those two get their living? They sleep all day and go hunting only after dark." "Some of us like to hunt after dark," Keoonik said fairly. "Well, but listen," said the rabbit. "All the fur robes in the camp have been chewed and scratched and spoiled. What animals chew and scratch wherever they go?" "Weasels and mice," answered Keoonik promptly. "Very well. Let's follow them and see what happens." So Keoonik and Ableegumooch, keeping out of sight themselves, followed the weasel and the mouse a very long way, to a large burrow in the side of a hill where a number of other weasels and mice of bad reputation were gathered. All greeted Uskoos and Abukcheech and listened to what they had to say, while the rabbit and otter, hidden behind a blueberry bush, listened too. "We were very sympathetic," smirked Uskoos, "and said we would help them." "So now they won't suspect us," said Abukcheech, and all the mice and weasels chortled gleefully. "It is time now," said Uskoos, "to call all the animals together and plan the conquest of the Penobscots. For we are smarter than the people and deserve to have all the food for ourselves." "Very true!" all shouted. "How will we get the rest to join us?" asked Abukcheech. "The smaller ones will be afraid to say no to us," declared Uskoos. "We will use trickery on the others. We will tell them the Penobscots plan to destroy all the animals in the land, and we must unite in order to defend ourselves." "Then, with Wolf and Bear and Moose to help us," cried Abukcheech, "we'll soon have all the people at our mercy!" The otter and the rabbit could hardly believe their ears. Someone must warn the people. "Come on," whispered Keoonik, but the rabbit only crouched where he was, tense and unmoving. The fact is, he wanted to sneeze! Ableegumooch wanted to sneeze more than he ever wanted to sneeze in his life before, but he mustn't sneeze--the sound would give them away. So he tried and he tried to hold that sneeze back. He pressed his upper lip, he grew red in the face, and his eyes watered-- but nothing was any good. "Ahhhhhh-ahhhhhh-choo!" Instantly, the weasels and mice pounced on Keoonik and Ableegumooch and dragged them out of hiding. "Spies!" growled Uskoos. "Kill them, kill them!" screamed Abukcheech. "I have a better plan," said Uskoos. "These two will be our first recruits." Then he told the prisoners they must become members of his band, or be killed. Poor Ableegumooch. Poor Keoonik. They did not wish to die, yet they could never do as the thieves wished, for the Penobscots were their friends. Ableegumooch opened his mouth, meaning to defy the villains no matter what the consequences, and then his mouth snapped shut. He had heard a strange sound, the sound of a flute piping far away, and he knew what it was. It was the magic flute of Glooscap, and the Great Chief was sending him a message. Into the rabbit's head popped the memory of something Glooscap had said to him once long ago, half in fun, half in earnest. "Ableegumooch," he seemed to hear the words again, "the best way to catch a snake is to think like a snake!" At once the rabbit understood. He set himself to think like the mice and the weasels, feeling the greed and selfishness that was in them. Then he had a plan. "Very well," he said, "we will join you. Those people are certainly very cruel and dishonest. They deserve the worst that can happen to them. Why, only yesterday"--and here he gave Keoonik a secret nudge--"my friend and I saw them hide away a great store of food in a secret place. Didn't we, Keoonik?" "Oh, yes, certainly," stammered Keoonik, wondering what trick the rabbit was up to now. The weasels and mice jumped about in mad excitement. "Where? Where? Where is this place?" "Take us there at once!" cried Uskoos, licking his lips. "Certainly," said Ableegumooch, starting old towards the woods. "Just follow us." Abukcheech the Mouse was right at their heels, but Uskoos soon shouldered him aside. Then each animal fought to be in front, and in this way all rushed through the forest, across the meadows, down into the valleys and over the hills, until at last--pushing and panting and grunting, they all reached the bottom of a grassy hill. Ableegumooch pointed to a pile of rocks at the top. "You will find the wealth you seek up there," he cried. "Hurry, hurry! The best will go to those who get there first." Away they all went, each struggling to be first. The rabbit and the otter stood aside and watched as the wild mob scrambled up the hill--up and up until suddenly, too late to stop, they found themselves teetering on the edge of a cliff, with nothing in front of them but space, and the sea far below. Those who were first tried to stop but were pushed over by those crowding behind and so, screaming with terror, down they all went, headlong into the sea. "Well," said Keoonik, peering over the edge of the cliff with a shiver, "their nations are well rid of them." "So are the Penobscots," said the rabbit. "And now that together we have saved our friends from the mice and the weasels, Keoonik, let us go home together in peace as good neighbours should." "I'm willing," said the otter, but he had no sooner taken a step than he sprawled on the ground. Ableegumooch had tripped him. "That's for the knock on the head!" the rabbit laughed, and made for the woods. Picking himself up furiously, Keoonik was after him, shouting, "Just wait till I catch you, I'll teach you to play tricks!" Their truce was over. And Glooscap, looking down from Blomidon, laughed at their antics, for he knew that with all their mischief there was no greed or spite in the hearts of Keoonik and Ableegumooch, against the people or against each other. Word of the week: Hospital     © Copyrighted

One of the newest rabbit breeds, named for the mane of long hair standing up in a fringe around the head. They are small rabbits, lively and energetic but good-natured. The Lionhead is a fairly short-furred little rabbit, with the exception of a mane of long wool around the face, neck, and possibly low on the flanks. They do look a like little lions. Origins The Lionhead gene is the first major mutation in rabbits since the Satin in 1932, and unlike other fur gene mutations it is dominant. This means that a Lionhead rabbit crossed with a normal rabbit will still pass on the 'mane' gene to some offspring, producing more Lionheads. We are going to explore the origins of the LionHead rabbit. There are differing accounts of where the Lionhead mutation first occured; some sources say it originated in Belgium, as a result of crossing Swiss Fox with Belgian Dwarf rabbits to create a long-coated dwarf rabbit, with the progeny then bred with the Dwarf Angora. Introduction to the Lionhead Breed Over in Europe... There has been a lot of speculation on how the Lionhead rabbit began. Bob Whitman, who was a very knowledgeable rabbit history buff and enthusiast, spent many hours researching the beginnings of this breed. He believed that the precursor of the Lionhead dated back decades earlier than first thought. Another widely held belief holds that they originated in Belgium in a litter of bunnies that was the result of the crossbreeding of the Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf in which a genetic mutation produced an early version of the mane we have come to recognize on today's' Lionhead. Other crosses to a smaller wool type breed may have also been included in the crossbreeding. Some sources list the Jersey Wooly, although more accurately it would be the European Dwarf Angora (in the USA we have no Dwarf Angora so the name Jersey Wooly was added here). In the early 1960's the Lionhead rabbit appeared as a genetic mutation in a litter of rabbits in France and in crossbred litters in Belgium. The breeders were actually trying to produce a long-coated Dwarf. The parents of the crossbred litter was a Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf. The exact trail of their development has been lost, however rabbits with "beards" were present in France in the mid-1960's. Ms. Meg Brown, renowned rabbit expert of Scotland, reported that these "bearded rabbits" closely resembled today's lionheads. Many experts believe that the lionhead rabbit originates from a crossing between a Swiss Fox and a Netherland dwarf rabbit, there is however no scientific evidence. Others state that the lionhead is a crossing between a Jersey Wooly and a Netherland dwarf but they can’t support their hypothesis with evidence. Although it is not likely that we will ever find out their true origination we can assume it is one of the mentioned theories. An undesirable trait in the Dwarf Angora, attempts were made to set the gene in a new breed, 'Téte de Lion'. Whatever its origins, the Lionhead certainly originated in Europe, and the Dwarf Angora played an important role in its early development. Belgian breeder Mr. Ronny de Clerq began breeding Lionheads in 1970. Through in-breeding and cross-breeding, he is credited with stabilizing and enhancing the breed as it is known today. At first weighing 3 kg (6.6 pounds) or so, he crossed his Lionhead bunnies with smaller dwarf breeds. This reduced the size of the breed, and it also introduced multiple color genes into the gene pool. Later, the breed was imported into England where continued crossbreeding of small breed rabbits and additional wool breeds were done. These cross-breedings made in Europe and in England created the current EUROPEAN LIONHEAD RABBIT. The one thing that we know for sure is that the result of the Lionhead, however they came about, was the first true gene mutation since the 1930's. Here in America... The first Lionheads that were used as a basis for any concentrated breeding programs in the United States were imported in 2000 by the late JoAnne Statler of Minnesota. In the following years, other breeders brought additional stock into this country. Tom Coats of Maryland, Theresa Mueller and Cheryl Rafoth of Washington State, Toni Tubbs, also of Washington and the late Bob Whitman of Rare Bits & Pieces in Texas also imported Lionheads from Europe. These imports, along with hybridizations made throughout the United States have produced the American version of the Lionhead Rabbit as we know it today. The five Lionheads that were first brought into Northern Minnesota were of very different varieties: a Silver Tipped Steel doe, a dark Siamese Sable buck(carrier of the Harlequin and Steel), a Harlequin (Black/Orange) doe, a Broken Chestnut Agouti buck and a Black sport buck (with a Dutch blaze, a carrier of the Vienna/BEW gene). In an attempt to broaden the gene pool, several Minnesota breeders began crossing the Lionheads to various other small breeds such as Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, Polish, and Florida White. Holland Lops have also been used by some in the Lionhead breeding program. The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club was born... The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club (NALRC) was founded on September 29th, 2001 at the Minnesota State Rabbit Breeders Association State Show held in Elk River, Minnesota. Since then, I have grown to a club of over 300 members. The NALRC hosts a National Lionhead Rabbit show the first weekend in May in Columbus, Ohio each year. The club publishes an information packed quarterly Newsletter called the Mane Musings, and all new members receive a Guidebook and membership card. Each calendar year, the NALRC sponsors a Lionhead Sweepstakes contest. The first NALRC National Exhibition Show was held... The first NALRC National Lionhead Exhibition Show was held in May of 2003 in Columbus Ohio. The show was judged by Eric Bengtson. The show had an overwhelming entry of 204 Lionheads. At that first show, Lionheads were shown the same way as the Netherland Dwarf breed with varieties judged first, followed by selection of best in each group. This type of judging was used in hopes of persuading the ARBA to revisit the question of allowing the Lionhead Breed to enter the ARBA Standard Book as a breed shown in groups and not varieties. When the ARBA Standards Committee met during the 2003 ARBA Convention, a formal request made by Bob Whitman to make that change was denied. Every year since the first show in 2003, the NALRC continued to hold an annual National Lionhead Exhibition Show on the first Saturday in May, in Columbus, OH in conjunction with the Ohio State Rabbit Breeders Association (OSRBA) annual show. Varieties on COD were judged individually, and all competed for Best of Breed. NALRC will continue to hold a national breed show in the Spring every year, but with the recognition of the breed came the ability for ARBA chartered clubs to bid to host the specialty in other areas of the country. The Lionhead is one of the newest rabbit breeds and has been developed following a genetic mutation that causes the growth of a longer 'mane' of hair around the head. In nature, mutations occur quite frequently, and many breeds result from a mutation that is fixed through a selective breeding programme. Rabbits with the 'mane' gene were imported to Britain and bred with other small wool breeds and Dwarf breeds, to develop the Lionhead breed as we know it today. The Netherland Dwarf has had a particularly strong influence in establishing the compact body shape and small ears of the breed standard, and also introducing a wide variety of colors. Some people refer to this breed as Lionhaired, which is not an official name but generally understood to be a collective term referring to the hair type, the miniature version and the lop eared version, the mini-lion lop or dwarf lionhead. Sometimes the Lionhead rabbit is referred to as the 'Teddy Bear' rabbit, but this is also incorrect, as this name was initially linked to the Angora breed. Chronological History of the Lionhead Rabbit for the BRC 1995 Derek Medlock and Joyce Taylor were in Bruges for a rabbit show. A friend was collecting 12 Lionheads and Derek and Joyce, having already been introduced to the Lionhead at the Cambridge show by Mary Page went with him. When they arrived there were 21 rabbits and Joyce said that she would like the ones that their friend did not want. She was given the choice of color and chose Sooty Fawn, the rest as they say, is history. Recognition in UK It took more than 4 years to complete the process. Already in 1998 the Breeds Standards Committee (BSC) had a meeting where they spoke about the Lionhead breed. A year later a standard was proposed to the BSC to which they agreed. In the following years the working standard was accepted and an official lionhead club was founded. This club became part of the much broader rare varieties club. 1999 A proposed standard was put to the Breed Standards Committee and agreed provisionally. Mr and Mrs Gaunt were to be secretaries of the Lionhead Club under the umbrella of the Rare Varieties Club. Clarinette Stud were Best Unstandardised with a Harlequin buck at Bradford As from the year 2000 several presentations were held at the Bradfrord Championship Show in different colors. In 2000 The Working Standard was agreed by the Breed Standards Committee with the ring size to be 'C'. First Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead at Bradford Championship show. You may be interested to know that the Judge was Mrs. Pam Honour, she was obviously impressed as she is now breeding and showing Lionheads. Clarinette Stud went Best Unstandardised with a Blue Lionhead. London Championship show - 1st presentation by Dee Millen of Agouti, Chin, Opal, Magpie and in partnership with Carmill Stud - Red Eyed White. 2001 The 2nd Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead at Bradford Championship Show. 1st Presentation of the Blue Lionhead at Bradford. 2nd Presentation of Agouti, Opal, Magpie and REW, The Chinchilla had, with permission from BRC, changed homes to Sandoval Stud. 2002 Schlegel and Davies were Best Unstandardised with a Chocolate Lionhead The third and final Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead. (Harley, the rabbit that won Best Unstandardised in 1999 was in this Presentation) 2nd Presentation of Blue Lionhead at Bradford The major breakthrough was at the first of may in 2002. Just several days after the latest Bradford show ended the British Rabbit Council (BRC) decided to officially recognize the Lionhead rabbit breed. The BRC standardized the Lionhead rabbit in all of its available colors. A week after Bradford the BRC Management Committee agreed to standardize the Lionhead in all recognized colors from May 1st. Therefore there are no restrictions for showing your lionhead in the UK, all colors can compete for best of breed and best in show March 23rd - National Lionhead Rabbit Club granted official recognition as the National Club for the breed. May 1st - STANDARDISATION AS IT IS TODAY May 5th - First stock show at Southern Championship show at Bognor Regis. Recognition in US I will circle back on some of the history we already covered to explain how the recognition developed. Bob Whitman, whom we have discussed on other episodes, was a highly respected rabbit enthusiast, breeder and author on all things rabbit and particularly enjoyed the more unusual breeds. He passionately researched rabbit history on his favorite breeds and spent many hours researching the beginnings of the Lionhead breed. He also held a COD for this breed. He believed the Belgian dwarf and Silver fox cross theory and also that other crosses to a smaller wool type breed may have also been included in the crossbreeding. Bob wrote a very good book called 'Domestic Rabbits and their Histories' which includes descriptions about the Lionhead rabbit breed, which we will have a link to in the show notes. Further development involved European Dwarf Angora also known as a Jersey Wooly in the USA. Later, the breed was imported into England where continued crossbreeding of small breed rabbits and additional wool breeds were done. This crossbreeding made in Europe and in England created the current European Lionhead rabbit we know today. In contrast with their relatively late arrival in the United States the Lionhead Rabbit was already very popular in Europe during the late eighties. The first Lionheads that were used as a basis for any concentrated breeding programs in the United States were imported in 2000 by the late JoAnne Statler of Minnesota. In the following years, other breeders brought in additional stock of which Bob Whitman was one, who also imported Lionheads from Europe. These imports, along with hybrids made throughout the United States, have produced the American version of the Lionhead that we see today. The first lionhead rabbit was imported in 2000, it would however take more than 14 years before the standard committee of the American Rabbit Breeders Association would stand (ARBA) would officially recognize the lionhead rabbit breed. The five Lionheads that were first taken into Northern Minnesota were of very different varieties: Silver Tipped Steel doe Dark Siamese Sable buck (carrier of the Harlequin and Steel) Harlequin (Black/Orange) doe Broken Chestnut Agouti buck Black sport buck (with a Dutch blaze, a carrier of the Vienna/BEW gene) In an attempt to broaden the gene pool, several Minnesota breeders began crossing the Lionheads to various other small breeds such as Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, Polish, and Florida White. Holland Lops have also been used by some in the Lionhead breeding program which went on to produce lop eared mini lions. NALRC The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club was founded on September 29th, 2001 at the Minnesota State Rabbit Breeders Association State Show held in Elk River, Minnesota. The first NALRC National Lionhead Exhibition Show was held in May of 2003 in Columbus Ohio. The show had an overwhelming entry of 204 Lionheads. At that first show, Lionheads were shown the same way as the Netherland Dwarf breed with varieties judged first, followed by selection of best in each group. The first attempt to get the breed recognized in the United States was made by Arden Wetzel of Minnesota who held the first COD for the breed. He made his first presentation attempt in 2004 during the ARBA Convention held in Rhode Island. The attempt in 2004 failed in all five colors. He then made a second attempt in 2005 at the ARBA Convention in Indiana. Arden was successful in Tortoise in 2005 which meant the breed moved forward in Tortoise only. As of 1 February 2014 the ARBA officially recognized the breed in the varieties Tortoise and Ruby Eyed White (REW). hope of persuading the ARBA to revisit the question of allowing the Lionhead breed to enter the ARBA Standard Book as a breed shown in groups and not varieties. When the ARBA Standards Committee met during the 2003 ARBA Convention, a formal request made by Bob Whitman to make that change was denied. Here is an invaluable new reference book, bringing years of experience, research and information together into one handy publication. Over 200 breeds have been meticulously researched, making this title indispensable reading for all rabbit enthusiasts.   COD "Certificate of Development" The COD process involves presenting the breed to the ARBA Standards committee at the organization's annual convention and show. This process requires that there be three successful presentations within five years in order for the breed to become recognized, and included in the ARBA Standard of Perfection. At this time there are several Certification of Development (COD) holders that try to get their variety officially recognized. In order to achieve this they must have 3 successful show presentations, this has to happen within 5 years. The current breed COD presenter is Theresa Mueller of Seattle, Washington. She made her first successful presentation at the 2010 ARBA Convention in Minneapolis, MN in November, 2010 in the varieties of REW, Black Tortoiseshell and Black. In November 2011, at the 88th ARBA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Mueller Lionhead presentation was assessed one fail in each variety (REW, Black Tortoiseshell and Black) due to disqualification of one junior animal in each variety having transitional wool on the flanks that exceeded the allowable maximum length. The ARBA Standards Committee then allowed Mueller to make a few changes to her proposed working breed standard, and also allowed the grouping all four varieties of Tortoiseshell (black, blue, chocolate and lilac) for her 2012 presentation. In October 2012, at the ARBA Convention in Wichita, Kansas, the Ruby-Eyed White (REW) and Black Tortoiseshell passed their next attempt at second presentation, therefore both varieties needed one more successful presentation at the ARBA Convention in October 2013 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the breed to become recognized. The black variety did not pass, which ended Mueller's presentation process for that variety. In October 2013 the lionheads passed the evaluation by the standards committee in the colors of Ruby Eyed White and Tortoise. Those colors will are the only recognized colors, for now. Beginning with the 2014 ARBA convention in Ft.Worth, Texas other colors will begin the presentation process and attempt to also become accepted, show-able colors. As of February 1st, 2014 they have been eligible to show for Best in Show and receive legs of Grand Champion like any other of the accepted breeds. Despite the growing number of Lionhead breeders and excellent Lionheads crossing the unofficial show tables every year, the new breed turned out to be a hard sell to the ARBA. Eventually, however, certificates of development were issued. Lionheads finally passed their third showing at the 2013 ARBA convention, and have been eligible for competition at ARBA shows since February 2014. As of February 1, 2014, Lionheads have become officially recognized in the United States as the 48th rabbit breed of the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in the varieties of Tortoise (all 4 colors) and REW. This means that Lionheads in those varieties will be eligible to win legs of Grand Champion and compete with other breeds for Best In Show at ARBA sanctioned shows. They are also able to be registered with ARBA in REW and Tort, and receive certificates of Grand Champion. As of December 1, 2016 Chocolate and Seal were added to the list of recognized ARBA varieties. Per ARBA rules, show secretaries are not obligated to accept entries in any other variety except Tortoise, REW, Chocolate and Seal; however, most varieties on COD will most likely be allowed to be shown for exhibition, as may other colors that are not on COD. This means that they will be allowed to compete for Best of Variety (BOV) and Best Opposite Sex of Variety (BOSV), but will not be allowed to compete for legs of Grand Champion, Best of Breed (BOB), Best Opposite Sex (BOS) or Best In Show (BIS). Congratulations on the acceptance of the following new breed varieties at the 2016 ARBA National Convention in Del Mar, California: Lilac Havana, Chocolate & Seal Lionheads, Himalayan & Squirrel Mini Satins, and Blue New Zealand. Current Variety CODs: Chocolate, and Seal HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE PRESENTATION PROCESS AND WILL BE ADDED TO THE BREED STANDARD AS RECOGNIZED VARIETIES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2016. Sable Point and Siamese Sable will make their attempts at successful 3rd Presentation in Indy in 2017. BEW (Blue-eyed White) will be eligible to present in 2017. Black has recently been awarded a COD and will be eligible to begin the presentation process in 2018. Recognition in Europe? Strangely, the Lionhead rabbit is not a recognized breed in Europe nor has it been standardized anywhere. However there is an International Breeds Standard Confederation, otherwise known as The European Confederation of Rabbits, Pigeons and Poultry. (EE) Just like the BRC and the ARBA, the EE will oversee any new European breed and it must be breeding true to the original progenitor for at least four to five years before initial acceptance. Understanding how the hair genes work, will shed more light on their probable creation. Genes The gene that gives the lionhead its distinctive 'lion's mane' characteristic is a dominant gene, so breeding a pure-bred Lionhead with another rabbit will produce an animal with a the obvious mane and bib. This gene mutation phenomena is the most recent major gene mutation to happen in rabbits since the Satin gene occurred in 1932. From this mutation, breeders in Europe went on to develop this longer-haired breed of rabbit because of its striking mane and bib. Only a few Lionhead rabbit breeders have been given the official Certificate of Development, (COD). Development Appearance The Lionhead is a small rabbit, weighing around 1.3-1.7kg (3-3¾lbs). Lionhead rabbits have a compact, medium build with a short, broad and well-rounded body. The head is broad, slightly rounded and close-set on the body, with short, upright ears. Size: The Lionhead rabbit is a cobby, well rounded breed - Ring size C Weight: Adult Weight: Ideal 2.5 lbs to 3.5lbs Maximum 3.12 lbs Shape: The Lionhead rabbit has a small, compact body, short, cobby and well rounded, the shoulders and chest broad and well filled. The head should be bold, with good width between the eyes but not quite round from all sides, with a well-developed muzzle. There should be no visible neck. The hindquarters broad, deep and well rounded. Their legs are of medium length and they are of medium bone, not too fine with a stance to be high enough to show the full chest and mane. Ears: The Lionhead ears are not to exceed 3 inches (7.5cm) long. They are upright open ears, well covered, of good substance, but not furnished as an Angora. The ears should be balanced with the head and body. Eyes: The Lionhead rabbit should have bold and bright, eyes. The white coated lionheads should have red or blue eyes (the BEW not accepted by the ARBA). The eyes of any other color should be as per color standard. Self Varieties Ruby Eyed White Lionhead REW or Ruby Eyed White (Red Eyes) Pure white coat and undercoat. Notes: If the eyes are blue the rabbit is a BEW (Blue Eyed White). black lionhead rabbit Black (Brown Eyes) Rich uniform black color over entire body. Undercoat is dark slate blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the black color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be black on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Lionhead Rabbit Varieties The ARBA recognise the Lionhead breed in the following varieties: Tortoise - Black Blue Chocolate Lilac Ruby Eyed White - REW The BRC recognize all colors as long as they conform to a recognized color and pattern. The following color descriptions are based on the current breed standards, not all from the ARBA but will offer some guidance to the Lionhead colors and the way they can be seen on the breed, both in the adult rabbit and the kits. Included below are notes on how the colors can be faulted, i.e. if a rabbit does not meet certain color guidelines for that color variety then they are faulted or disqualified from show. Notes: Animals are faulted for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light under-color. blue lionhead rabbit Blue (Dark Blue/Grey Eyes) Rich uniform blue color over entire body. Undercoat is also blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the blue color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be blue on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Notes: Animals are faulted for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light under-color. Shaded Varieties sable point lionhead Sable Point (Brown Eyes) The nose, ears, feet, and tail are to be a rich sepia brown. The color of the points is to fade rapidly to a rich creamy body surface color, which has a creamy white under-color. Darker shading is permissible around the eyes. Newborns will almost look like REWs. Their points take a little bit to develop. Cold weather does affect their points and will make the points darker. Notes: Animals are faulted for having streaks, blotches, or smut on the body. Point color that is so light as to lose the contrast with the body color is to be faulted. Scattered white hairs are also a fault. Animals having a white underside of tail are disqualified. Siamese Sable (Brown Eyes) The surface color is to be a rich sepia brown on the head, ears, back, outside of legs, and top of the tail. The surface color will fade to a lighter sepia on the sides, chest, belly, inside of legs, and underside of the tail. The dark face color is to fade from the eyes to the jaws and all blending of color is to be gradual and free from blotched or streaks. The under-color will be slightly lighter than the surface color. Newborns will NOT be the dark rich color of the adults. They will be a light brown mocha color. Almost a silvery color with a brown tinge. Notes: Animals are faulted that have streaks, blotched, or poor color blending. Scattered white hairs, or lack of darker color in the loin area is a fault. Tortoise (Brown Eyes) On adults the points (ears and face) will be very visible in a dark brown. The undercoat will be lighter than the surface. Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks and dark insides and outsides of the ears. With the exception of the dark ears they will look like orange babies. Notes: Animals with a white belly or underside of tail are disqualified. Agouti Varieties The Agouti variety has banded hair shafts. The best way to tell is if you can see the rings caused by the banded hair shaft when you blow into the fur. Chestnut (Brown Eyes) The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be a light brown, ticked with jet black. The intermediate band is to be a well defined orange over a dark slate-blue under-color. The chest is to be a light brown over a dark slate-blue under-color. The under-color of the belly is to be slate-blue. The top of the tail is to be black, sparsely ticked with light brown, over a dark slate-blue under-color. The nape of the neck is to be orange, with the ears laced in black. Newborns will have very dark bodies and will look similar to black newborns. The insides of the ears will be cream colored (black babies have dark ears inside and out). The first few days they will have pink underbellies. A week or so later they will have pearl white underbellies and tops of the feet. Notes: Faults are given to animals that are too light or too dark in surface color, or too light in the color of the intermediary band or under=color. White toenails are a disqualification. Chinchilla or Silver Agouti (Grey, Blue or Light Brown/Grey Eyes) The fur should look silver with black ticking. Blue undercoat. The ears should be black laced. When you blow into the fur you should see prominent rings. This is caused by the banded hair shaft of an agouti. The rings should be off white and slate gray. Inside of the ears, feet, ring around eyes and nose should be pearl white. Underside of the tail and belly should be white or silver. Notes: Animals are disqualified with extreme dark or light color, brown patches of color, or extreme brownish tinge in ring color. Animals without black lacing on ears are also disqualified. Opal (Dark Blue/Grey Eyes) The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be blue mingled with fawn. The intermediary band is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue under-color. The chest is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue under-color. The under-color of the belly is to be slate blue. The top of the tail is to be blue, sparsely ticked with fawn, over a medium slate-blue under-color. The nape of the neck is to be fawn. Newborns will be mostly blue expect for their bellies and the inside of the ears which will be a pearl white. Notes: Animals that have light color on the surface will be faulted, in the intermediary band, or in the under-color. Other Color Varieties Orange Lionhead rabbit Orange (Brown Eyes) Orange coat with cream undercoat. Back of the ears should also be the same color orange. Inside of the ears, ring around the eyes and nose, belly and chest should be cream. Underside of tail and around genitals should be white. Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks - they will look similar to a tortoise at birth. The insides of the ears will be white and outsides of the ears will be orange - not dark colored. Notes: Faults include any smut (darker hairs) in the coat. UK Colors All colors found in other rabbit breeds are recognized in the UK, commonly; Agouti, Black, Blue, Butterfly, Chestnut, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Fawn, Fox, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Orange, Otter, Sable Marten, Sable Point, Siamese Sable, Siamese Smoke Pearl, Silver Martin, Squirrel, Smoke Pearl Marten, Steel, Tan, Tortoiseshell, White (red or blue-eyed) Bi colors (white and one other color), Tri colors (white and 2 other colors) and various other shadings also apply. Fur Type / Coat Coat Lionheads have a normal rollback, dense coat of medium length over the saddle, and some have "transitional wool" on their flanks. The coat should be even all over yet some Lionheads have noticeably longer wool on the cheeks and chest, often with a finer flank line of slightly longer fur running down the length of the rabbit to the tail extending in a line to the groin. A small amount of extended fur around the flanks is permissible on under five months exhibits. Mane/Chest Lionheads have soft, medium length hair on their body, with a 'mane' of soft wool, 5-7cm (2-3inch) long, standing up in a fringe around the head and extending to a 'bib' on the chest. The mane of the Lionhead rabbit is of soft wool thick, with a crimping effect and at least 2"-3" (5cm-7.5cm) in length, forming a full circle around the head, standing up in a fringe around the head and extending to a 'bib' on the chest running into a "V" at the back of the neck. The mane should be between 5.0cm – 7.5cm (2-3in) in length extending to a ‘V’ at the back of the neck, falling into a fringe around the head, creating a "wool cap", with longer fur on the chest to form a bib. The quality of mane between Lionhead Rabbits varies a great deal. At the present time it makes no difference if they are purebred or crossbred. Some will have very dense manes, while others will carry a very long mane but it very thin in density. Some adults are loosing all but a wispy mane. Some adults loose their mane when they molt but then grow them back. Mane Genes The mane gene is dominant, therefore, both parents do not need a mane to pass it on to offspring; however, one parent must have a mane. It cannot be "carried". There are two genes involved – 'M' and 'm'. The mane seems to be a simple dominate gene with 100% of the offspring from maned rabbits (carrying two mane gene -2XM) bred with non-maned rabbits having a mane. These offspring are referred to as F1 generation crosses. It is impossible to tell the difference between purebred and hybrid bunnies as both type- those carrying heavy angora type wool all over their bodies or those with manes only – occur in both purebred and hybrid litters, and often as siblings. Mane Types Typically, the mane is thick, woolly and soft with evident "crimping". Depending on the pair of genes a Lionhead rabbit gets (one from each parent), it can have a double mane (two mane genes) or a single mane (one mane gene). A Lionhead rabbit can have a maximum of two mane genes. The only way to tell if a rabbit is single mane or double mane is when they are first born, past that many things contribute to how much mane they actually end up having including chewing on the mane by themselves or others and mats. single maned lionhead rabbit Single Maned Single mane Lionhead rabbits only have one copy of the gene responsible for creating a mane on a rabbit, called the mane gene. Single mane Lionheads typically do not hold a mane for their entire lifetime. They have a mane that can be around its head, ears, chin and sometimes on the chest and rump. The mane may be wispy and thin and may disappear on some rabbits altogether as they mature. The genotype for the single mane is Mm. Typically their mane wool diminishes as they get older. Single maned Lionheads are usually the product of a purebred double mane Lionhead being bred to a rabbit of another breed (process called hybridization), in order to strengthen a particular characteristic or introduce a particular color into the Lionhead breeding program. Kits born from single manes or hybridization with double manes that do not have manes are called "no maned" because they did not get a copy of the mane gene. Without a mane gene, a rabbit will not have a mane nor will they be able to produce a kit with a mane, unless bred to a rabbit with either a single or double mane. Double maned lionhead rabbit Double Maned Double maned Lionheads have two copies of the mane gene. They typically have a thick mane of wool encircling the head and sometimes have wool on their flanks that some refer to as a "skirt". The geno-type for a double maned Lionhead is MM. A double maned Lionhead is the product of either two single maned Lionheads (will have single manes in the litter) or two double maned Lionheads. Two double maned Lionheads will only be able to produce double maned Lionheads when bred together. Many double-maned Lionheads have excessive fur on the flanks and some can develop tufts on the tips of the ears, these are considered a fault in the show standard. Double-maned lionhead kits are easily recognizable. They are sometimes informally referred to as "gremlins", because of their appearance. Compared to a single maned kit, there is a large difference. "Gremlins" tend to have a V shape on the back, where the fur starts to grow. BREEDING LIONHEAD RABBITS LIONHEAD RABBITS seem to be very easy to breed and most do not appear to have any difficulty kindling. Doe's have about 3-9 kits per litter (Litter size seems to be tied to overall size of the doe with small does under 3 pounds having smaller litters). Most are very good mothers with abundant milk supplies. Breeding Lionheads true to the breed standard is not simple. As double-maned rabbits often develop too much fur, and single-maned rabbits usually lose some of their mane in adulthood, breeding the ideal Lionhead is complex. Babies: Baby Lionheads tend to have longer fur in the vent area, similar to some lop-eared breeds. Therefore they tend to paste up more than other breeds. It is important to check babies that are 2-5 weeks old on a regular basis to prevent infection due to pasting up. If they do paste up, wash the vent area by putting under a light stream of lukewarm water until all material can be loosened and removed. You may also want to put some antibiotic ointment in the area. Many carry wool all over their bodies at first, with most starting to shed it out at about 6-7 weeks, until only a skirt remains. In most young Lionheads, somewhere near 10 weeks this wool will also begin to disappear and should be gone by 16 weeks of age. Some bunnies are born with so much wool on their bodies that they resemble a baby Angora. Some Lionheads never shed out the underwool in the coat to degree that will allow them to shown under the American Standard. Some Lionhead Rabbits carry the wool/mane down their face between their eyes (which is very undesirable under the Purposed Working Standard), and they all seem to have wool on their cheeks (which is allowed under the Purposed Working Standard.) Lifespan Average lifespan of the Lionhead rabbit is 7 to 9 years but as with any of the domestic rabbit breeds, the age is dependent on their care and more importantly, their diet. Personality Temperament The Lionhead rabbit is a breed that is relatively new and still in the development process. Their temperaments can differ between breeders depending on the parent breeds used to produce each line. Lionheads are generally good-natured rabbits, although lively and often timid. Gentleness and understanding are needed to win their trust and bring out the best in their personality. They can be quite outgoing and sociable and will thrive on attention. They are usually energetic, active and playful, and despite their small size, need plenty of space to run and play. They are quite timid when you compare them with some of the other small breeds like the Netherland dwarf but with all rabbits giving them the right king of gentle attention, along with gentleness and understanding will help them gain your trust. Lionheads need experienced handling since they can easily be frightened and because of this, may become aggressive. For these reasons they are not generally recommended with children. Some Lionheads may have a more skittish, or even aggressive nature. The Lionhead is a recent breed and still under development in many countries, temperament can vary quite a bit depending on the breeds used to develop each line. If you intend to buy a Lionhead rabbit, buy from a reputable breeder or rescue centre and observe the rabbit's temperament. When buying a Lionhead rabbit, also enquire as to any hereditary dental concerns. Training Generally Lionheads are easy to train as they are very smart creatures. They can comprehend certain orders like come, and play, eat etc and will respond to their own name. They are also very easy to litter box train and for that reason make very good house rabbits and home companions. Purpose The Lionhead rabbit was originally created as a show breed but has become a very popular domestic pet rabbit. Breed Status The Lionhead rabbit received official breed status with the ARBA in February 2014. Because it is still a relatively new breed there are still some colours and varieties that have yet to be officially approved and are still under development. It has been a recognised breed with the BRC in the UK since 2002. The Lionhead rabbit is overall, a relatively new breed and there will be certain differences in some varieties for some time until the breed develops a 'true' breed status. Lionheads have also been put to Dwarf Lops to create a Dwarf Lion Lops or mini lion lops. Rabbit Care & Handling Grooming The longer wool of the Lionhead's 'mane' needs to be combed once a week to prevent matting and daily grooming is necessary during moult. Young rabbits (2-4 months old) : Young Lionhead Rabbits have a little extra fur/wool on their bodies, particularly on the lower hindquarters area. This body wool will molt out by about 4 months old, and it is important to make sure they have adequate fiber in their dies as they molt this out to prevent wool block. Regular grooming at this stage is important so the Lionhead doesn't ingest to much of their own shedding wool causing a wood block in the intestines. Once they reach adulthood they do not require extensive grooming in the way that other wool breeds do. Older rabbits (4 months and up) : If your Lionhead Rabbit carries excess wool/fur on their body, particularly on the lower hindquarters area, most likely it is a double mane gene Lionhead. These require you to maintain extra fiber in their diet to prevent wool block. Some people feel the double mane gene Lionhead Rabbit will not be showable as adults due to the excess fur/wool, regardless they play an important roll in breeding. Grooming the mane (all ages); The Lionhead Rabbit mane can become felted similar to other wooled breeds, so it needs to be carefully brushed out periodically. Since the wool of the mane is similar to the English Angora wool, it can be pulled out if combed or brushed too vigorously, so it is important to be both patient and gentle. Top Tip The odd chunk of fresh pineapple in their diet, especially during shedding, is a great solution to possible hairball problems, as the acidic nature and other compounds in the pineapple helps to break down any hair that might be caught in the gut. (It acts a bit like drain unblocker!) Teeth Like all rabbits, the Lionhead can develop dental problems and this breed may be more prone to dental disease than other breeds and have more risk of developing hairballs, leading to digestive problems, both of which can be potentially fatal conditions. Their teeth should be checked regularly for signs of overgrowth and their diet should include fibrous vegetables that will help keep their teeth down. Enamel spurs and overgrown molars can prevent them from eating properly and can cause abscess injuries in the mouth so it’s vital that the teeth are kept in good order. Weight Avoid overfeeding. An overweight bunny can find it difficult to groom themselves and if fur is allowed to become soiled with urine or faeces it can attract flies. These flies lay eggs in the fur and the maggots can burrow into the rabbit’s flesh, causing painful open wounds that will require veterinary attention. Disease Vaccines All rabbits should be vaccinated against Viral Haemorrhagic Disease and Myxomatosis and should be treated regularly for fleas, ticks and worms. It’s also worth considering spaying any non-breeding females in order to prevent uterine cancer, which is common in all female rabbits. Outdoors If your rabbit is going to live outdoors their house must be large enough for them to hop at least 3 decent sized hops (surprisingly this can be up to 6 foot for this breed) and be tall enough for them to stand upright on their hind legs. It should be completely weather and waterproof and positioned out of direct sun and wind. The hutch should have shavings and straw on the floor and should also provide a covered area where the rabbit can nest. The hutch must be cleaned out completely once a week and droppings must be taken out every day. A hutch or house should not be the ONLY area where they live. Regardless of whether your Lionhead is going to live indoors or outside, They should have access to a LARGE exercise area when they are at their most active - early morning and late evening. A very large run or secure area of garden will allow them the opportunity to stretch their legs and indulge in their love of exploration. Indoors If they are to live inside, and Lionheads are very suited to indoor life, they can be easily taught how to use a litter tray. They must be provided with an area where they can retire to, hide away and relax completely. A dog crate or indoor cage is ideal but if they are given free run of the house (like cats and dogs are afforded the luxury of, so why not rabbits?) then they will usually find their favourite place, usually under a bed or behind a sofa etc. Just make sure all wires, cables and anything precious are out of the way and off the floor. Be aware that the rabbit could be near your feet, as they love being close to you, and take care not to step on them when you are moving around. Diet This should include good quality hay, rabbit pellets and lots of fibrous green leaves and vegetables like kale, cabbage, carrot tops and dandelions with constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. Handling It’s also worth making sure you know how to pick up and hold your rabbit correctly. Rabbits can struggle and panic if they’re held incorrectly. They’re stronger than they look and can injure their backs if they fall incorrectly or can give you a nasty scratch in their efforts to escape. Clubs & Organizations NLRC - National Lionhead Rabbit club is an organisation for all Lionhead rabbits enthusiasts within the UK. Its prime objective is to encourage the keeping, breeding, exhibiting and development of the Lionhead Rabbit through out the United Kingdom. NALRC - The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club is the official ARBA Chartered National Breed club for the Lionhead rabbit. A place where all people interested in every aspect of the Lionhead rabbit could come together to share information regarding the breeding, keeping and showing of this breed. LionheadRabbit.com - Is an online Lionhead rabbit community that brings together people who have a large interest in this special rabbit. It is free to join and they have a popular Facebook page. http://www.justrabbits.com/lionhead-rabbit.html www.lilymoonlionheads.com https://lionheadrabbit.com/about-lionhead/history/ http://www.lionhead.us/aboutlionheads/ http://www.raising-rabbits.com/lionhead-rabbits.html http://www.rabbitmatters.com/lionhead-rabbit.html http://www.bunnyhugga.com/a-to-z/breeds/lionhead.html https://lionheadrabbit.com/ http://rabbitagroworld.blogspot.com/2010/02/brief-history-of-lionhead-rabbit.html http://www.lionheadrabbitclub.co.uk/lionhead-history.html http://www.lionhead.us/aboutlionheads/standards.htm Cuter than cute, softer than soft, these twelve bouncing bunnies are pictures of pure innocence and charm. Twelve bright and detailed photographs celebrate the world of "bunny hood". The large format features big daily grids with ample room for jotting appointments, reminders, and birthdays. Also included are six bonus months of July through December 2017, moon phases, and U.S. and international holidays. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/03/tibetan-folk-tales-wolf-fox-and-rabbit.html How the Wolf, the Fox and the Rabbit Committed a Crime When an evil man gets mad at his enemy, he beats his horse on the head. Tibetan Proverb. ONCE upon a time a wolf, a fox and a rabbit were walking along the road together when they met a wizard carrying a pack on his back. The rabbit said to the rest of them, "I'll go limping along in front of this fellow and he will put his load down and try to catch me, and you two slip around behind him, and when he puts his things down, you get them." Sure enough, the man put his pack down, picked up some rocks and started after the rabbit in hot haste, while the wolf and the fox got his load and ran off with it. He came back pretty soon, when he found he couldn't catch the rabbit, and found his things were all gone. In great grief he started down the road, wondering what he would do and how he was going to live. Meanwhile the wolf, the fox and the rabbit met in a chosen place and opened the pack to see what was in it. There were a pair of Tibetan boots with many layers in the soles, which made them very heavy, a cymbal with a tongue or clapper, an idol of tsamba and some bread. The rabbit acted as divider and said to the wolf, "You have to walk a lot, so you take the heavy boots." And the wolf took the boots. To the fox he said, "You have a lot of children; you take the bell for them to play with, and I'll take the food." The wolf put on the boots and started out to hunt a sheep. The boots were so heavy he fell on the ice and couldn't get up, and the shepherd found him and killed him. The fox took the bell and went in to his children ringing it, Da lang, da lang, da lang, and thought it would please them, but instead it scared them all to death. So the rabbit ate up the idol of tsamba and all the bread and got the best of that bargain. Word of the week: Harem © Copyrighted

Enderby Island rabbit Hello Listener! Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per month. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger. Word of the Week: Lucrative Folktale: How the Rattlesnake learned to bite News: Hanford’s Storybook Set to Open Joe Chianakas Pre-Releases The Final Book In His Famous Rabbit In Red Series Rare footage reveals Alice in Wonderland was released as a 52-minute silent movie 100 years ago Girl sews 'Bunnies of Hope' to provide comfort for patients Drones used to target Lincolnshire hare coursers Venezuelan president's plan to beat hunger Vice president's pet rabbit hops into book deal Bill would require pet stores to sell rescue animals Stone Bridge Preserve: Conservation Project Creates New England Cottontail Habitat Amazon Purchases: Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/HareoftheRabbit/ Enderby Island Rabbit Breed The Enderby Island Rabbit, which is also referred to as the Enderby Rabbit, is a breed that descended from the rabbits that were taken from Australia to be released on Enderby Island in October of 1865. The animals survived in isolation on the island for almost 130 years, during which they became a distinct breed. We are going to look at the history of the Enderby Rabbit, so be prepared to take a remarkable journey of hope, survival, fortitude, lifesaving, rescue, destruction and preservation. This story is like no other in the world of domestic rabbits. Whales were plentiful in the waters that surrounded the Auckland's and the shores would prove to be rich with sea lions, but at the same time shipwrecks were abundant in the rough and dangerous waters around these six volcanic islands. Castaways would attempt to survive for weeks and months, in hopes of a rescue ship finding them. Back in Australia, the Acclimatization Society of Victoria was formed in 1861, with the aim of introducing exotic plants and animals to suitable parts of the colony and to procure animals from Great Britain and other countries. Shortly after the organization was founded, a gift of 4 silver-grey rabbits was presented to the Society in 1864. In a letter dated 3 October, 1865 Jas. G. Francis, Commissioner of Trade and Customs advised Commander William Henry Norman, of the H.M.C.S. VICTORIA I to search the Auckland Islands for possible persons in distress and 'With the view of making provisions, to a certain extent, for any persons who may hereafter be wrecked or in distress upon these islands, the Acclimatization Society have put on board a number of animals, which will be good enough to let loose on the island." There would be 12 rabbits on board ship that set sail Wednesday, October 4, 1865. So Enderby Island rabbits are descendants of English Silver Greys, (not the Champagne de Argente as previously reported in various papers and scientific journals). In some of the research, I found that Bob Whitmann in his research of the breed had locate Mrs. Margaret Levin, of Queensland, Australia who is the great-great-granddaughter of Com. Norman.- She became fascinated with his research project and has provided pictures of the ship, the commander, her crew and best of all, copies of the journal and logbooks of this historic voyage. It should be noted that Margaret was also a rabbit breeder while living in Victoria. From Com. Norman's Journals. "Saturday, 14th. - No traces of pigs or other animals being observed near here; landed four goats, sent by the Acclimatization Society. Some small patches of English grass growing about the old settlement. Later in the day, one of the men reported having seen a dog. This deterred me from landing some rabbits and fowls as I had intended." There is an error in his journal as he write Monday. 18th and this would have actually been Wednesday. 18th "At 4:30 a.m. started for Enderby Island, and anchored in the sandy bay referred to yesterday, at 5 a.m. Sent on shore ten goats and twelve rabbit; these at once took to the English grass, on which I have no doubt they will thrive well. Weighed again at 7:30a.m., and steamed slowly round the island." The H.M.S.C. VICTORIA I returned to its home port, Hobson's Bay, at 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 27, 1865, having found no castaways. Now it should be noted that this was not the first time that rabbits were let released on Enderby Island. The British "EREBUS" and "TERROR" expedition, of Sir James Clark Ross. These rabbits were killed off by the Maoris who did not leave the island until March 1856. Enderby Island is 1,700 acres in size, cold, windy and with high humidity. Except for the coastal cliffs and rocks, along with a few acres of sand hills, the island is pretty much covered with a dense blanket of peat. The 12 rabbits would thrive and multiply, burrowing into the sandy hillsides and dry peat. In 1867, the survivors of the GENERAL GRANT caught many rabbits, as did the survivors of the DERRY CASTLE in March of 1887. During the next 100 years, the rabbits of Enderby would be up and down in population. In 1874, H.M.S. BLANCHE found the island "over-run with black rabbits". 1886 in a report to the Royal Society of Victoria it was reported that the rabbits were fast dying out or rather starved out, having eaten most all the grass and reverting to thickly set mossy plants. By 1894 the HINEMOA reported "rabbits swarm, and greatly reduce the value of the pasturage ... one of the party shot over twenty in the course of short excursion. 25 head of cattle and many rabbits were reported by Oliver in 1927. In 1932 the pastoral lease of the island ended and in 1934 the New Zealand (NZ) government made the island a reserve for the preservation of native flora and fauna. The NZ National Parks and Reserves Authority approved the Auckland Island Management Plan on January 12, 1987 to eliminate all man introduced animals from the islands. A study by B.W. Glentworth in 1991, showed a rabbit population of between 5,000 to 6,000 rabbits. Rabbits were destroying that native vegetation at an alarming rate and playing havoc with the sea lion pup population. The numerous rabbit burrows along Sandy Bay is an important breeding ground for this threatened sea lion species, as pups would become trapped in the burrows and die. It is estimated that over 10% of the pups would die trapped in the burrows. The Canterbury Chapter of the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of NZ (RBCSNZ), having heard of the rabbit's eradication plan, began setting up a project to rescue a breeding population of the Enderby Island Rabbit through the dedicated efforts of Mrs. Catreona Kelly as Project Manager. Michael Willis and Dr. Dave Matheson, D.V.M. of the Rare Breeds Society along with Wayne Costello and Trevor Tidy from the NZ Department of Conservation (DOC) would travel on board the naval diving ship MANAWANUI, arriving on Enderby on Tuesday 15, September, 1992 at 11 :30 p. m .. A permit was secured to trap 50 rabbits in just a very few days. Various modes of trapping were used, baffle traps and funnel nets at the warren entrances, soft-jaw leg hold traps, proved to be of little use, but 200 meters of wing netting would be the most successful. Rabbits would be trapped from four locations, which were given warren names; Enderby, Stella, Rata and Base. By September 19th, 50 rabbits had been captured, 15 does (females) and 35 bucks (males). Dive teams ferried the rabbits on inflatable Zodiacs back to the main ship in rather difficult swell conditions. Of special note, it was during this recovery, that the last two surviving members of the Enderby Island cattle breed were discovered. The cow, named lady and her calf, which soon died would make world history, as Lady is the largest mammal ever cloned, first cow cloned to have calve, and the first attempt at cloning to save a rare breed, well it's a story all to its own. The 49 rabbits (one died of a back injury) would arrive at Somes Island in Wellington Harbor on September 25th at 6 p.m. to begin a one-month quarantine period, which ended on October 28, 1992. There would be 3 kits (young) born during this period. Each rabbit was carefully inspected, handled, identified with an ear tag and given a permanent tattoo. Rabbits were split into three different destination groups, one for Wairarapa, and another for New Plymouth and the rest for Christchurch. All rabbits born were carefully recorded in the stud book by Mrs. Kelly. All rabbits were the property of the D.O.C. however ten dedicated caregivers would be entrusted with the rabbits, under contract, with the RBCSNZ. In 1998 private ownership of the Enderby Island rabbits would begin as the numbers of rabbits increased. The eradication program took place from February 9 through May 8, 1993 with a team of four people and a specially trained rabbit-tracking dog named Boss. The rabbits would be killed with a green dyed cereal pellet containing Brodifacoum, which was sowed using a helicopter. The last Enderby Island rabbit would be caught and destroyed on April 12, 1993 ending a 127 year period of natural selection. Enderby Island rabbits are the world's rarest breed of rabbit, with less than 300 animals in existence. Most are black, but there are few known cream colored ones and even fewer blues. The breed evolved from the English Silver Greys, and not the Champagne de Argente as previously reported in various papers and scientific journals. A brief background on the silvers from Bob Whitman who had been a collector of old rabbit books for 30 years. In his research some of the earliest works state that the Silver came from Siam and brought to England by traders, other works say that Silver Greys existed thousands of years ago in India and were brought to Europe by Portuguese sailors early in the 17th century. Gervase Markham in 1631 wrote that rabbits with silver tips to their hairs were being kept in warrens in England. It is well documented that Silvers appeared in the warrens of Lincolnshire, England amongst wild rabbit and were known as Sprigs, Millers, Lincolnshire Silver Greys, Chinchilla Silver Grey, Riche and more simply put Silver Grey. The breed was first shown in England in 1860. A buff colored Silver Grey doe took first honors at the Crystal Palace Poultry Show in the "Foreign Class" in 1863. Mature weight at the time was 6 to 9 pounds. Thousands of them were being raised in the warrens of 1850s for table purposes in the larger cities, and the skins were bought up for exportation to Russia and China. The first English breed standard was set up in 1880. The Champagne de Argente was not introduced into the Britain until 1920 and weighed a hefty 9 to 11 pounds. English breeders have perfected the silver breed to have an even silvering over the entire body, including the head, feet and tail. The fur is sleek, with a fly back coat. In one of Bob Wittman's early books, Manuals for the Many the Rabbit Book, circa 1855, there is a wood engraving that screams Enderby Island Rabbit. I quote, "The head and ears are nearly all black with a few white hairs. These white hairs are more numerous on the neck, shoulders, and back; but on all the lower parts, such as the chest or belly, the number of white hairs is greater than those of a blue or black color." So there you have it, a very condensed version of a remarkable story. Some 250 plus generations, of natural selection during a course of 127 years of near total isolation on a sub Antarctic island called Enderby, where a nucleus of 12 rabbits would evolve to become their own breed called Enderby Island. Overall Description The Enderby Island Rabbit is a rare and endangered breed.The Enderby Island Rabbit has a medium length body that features a slight taper from the front to the hindquarters, and the back will also be slightly arched. The head, which is well set upon the shoulders, should be medium in size and it should be in proportion with the rest of the body. There is not a visible neck, and the ears are carried in the shape of a “V”. The eyes are bold. The legs and the feet are fine to medium boned, and the nails will match the body color. In general, when looking at an Enderby Island Rabbit, you will notice that the body is fine-boned and slim. The head will be small, and the ears will be delicate and upright. Body to be medium in length, with a slight taper from the hindquarters to front, with a slightly arched back. Leaning towards a racy look. The head is to be medium in size and in proportion to the body. It is to be well set in the shoulders and show no visible neck. The ears are to be in proportion and firmly set on head. They are to be carried in a "v", not necessarily together. The feet and legs are to be medium to fine in bone and good length. The Nails are to match the body colour. Litters are rather small with 2, 3 and 4 kits, with a record being 8 Weight: Although descended from the Silver Greys which weighed between 8 and 9 lbs the Enderby island rabbit has evolved to be a little smaller with the average weight ranging from 3 to 4 lbs. Coat The coat of the Enderby Island Rabbit is soft and short. The body is rather heavily silvered in most animals, with about 80% silvering. The extremities, i.e., the head ears, feet and tail are much darker and only lightly silvered, with a pronounced butterfly marking on the nose. The coat is unlike the Silver breed, being more open, longer and soft in texture. The youngsters can be rather slow to silver and may require 6 to 8 months to complete the cycle. Adults become more silvered over the years. Faults: Coat too harsh, woolly, thin or short Serious Fault: White hairs in armpits Disqualifications: White patches on colored fur or colored patches on white fur. Colors Enderby Rabbits can come in a few different colors, but the majority of them will be a distinct silver-grey with a dark slate blue undercoat. The ears, tail, and head will be darker and are often black. Slate–Undercolor showing a dark slate blue. silvering on body, medium preferred. Champagne– Under showing a lighter shade of slate blue. Silvering on body seen a medium to heavy. The whole evenly and moderately interspersed with longer, jet black hairs and silver tipped hairs. Head, ears, feet & tail can range from almost black with light silvering. To less of the base color showing through the points, due to an increased amount of silvering in the body Crème - Undercolor orange to go down as far as possible, body color creamy white, the whole evenly and moderately interspersed with longer orange hairs and silver tipped hairs. Darker markings on head, ears, feet & tail permissible with less silvering than the main body. White underbelly is permissible. Evenness and Brightness of Silvering - The evenness of silvering is more important than the degree of silvering. Silvering is to be evenly distributed over the body with exception of head, feet and tail showing more of the base color. A diamond shape of un-silvered fur on the forehead permissible until fully mature.(mask to have silvering) Under 5 months - Slate/Champagne kits are born black. Creme kits are born a fawn color. Silvering starts to show from about 6-8 weeks and can take up to 6 months to come into their full coat. Solid patches of the base color will be seen on the juvenile coat. Under 5's should be judged for their general type and evenness of silvering that is coming through at the time of showing. A diamond shape of un-silvered fur on the forehead permissible until fully mature.(mask to have silvering). Acceptable colors for this rabbit breed include slate, champagne, and crème. Champagne and slate rabbits are actually born black, and crème rabbits are born featuring a fawn color. The body will become heavily silvered (roughly 80% silvering) in most Enderby Rabbits, but the feet, tail, ears, and head will be lightly silvered. I suppose you could say there are two varieties of Enderby Island. They come mainly in the silver-grey but a very small percentage are born cream or beige-colored – a shade produced by a recessive gene You will notice the Enderby Island Rabbit’s distinct silvering begin to appear on the coat at around 6 to 8 weeks. It could take up to 6 months or more for it to come into the full coat. Also, the juvenile coat of the Enderby Rabbit will feature solid patches in the base color. And as the rabbits age, they will become even more silvered. Care Requirements The coat of an Enderby Island Rabbit will become heavily silvered.If you are planning on bringing an Enderby Island Rabbit into your family, you should have enough room for a large enclosure that will keep your pet safe and comfortable. Your rabbit should be able to stand up, turn around, and stretch while in his cage, and he should be able to come out of the cage regularly in order to play and interact with you. You can keep your Enderby Island Rabbit indoors or outside, as this breed is hardy and accustomed to cold weather, but be sure to protect him from predators. Indoors, make room for your pet to run around and exercise outside of the cage, and give him an area where he can get access to fresh air and sunshine. If you want to let your rabbit spend some time outside, you can place your rabbit in an exercise pen, lawn enclosure, or extension hut for safety. Feed your Enderby Rabbit a diet that consists of pellets, hay, and vegetables. You can include grass hays like orchard, oat, and timothy hays, and you can purchase pellets designed for rabbits. Fresh foods, such as dark, leafy greens, should also be provided. Limit the amount of starchy veggies and fruits that your rabbit eats, and always provide fresh, clean water. It was noted that the breed had adapted to eating seaweed. Health Keep your pet’s environment as stress-free as possible because stress alone could lower your rabbit’s ability to resist disease. Like other rabbits, the Enderby Island Rabbit might be susceptible to ear mites, conjunctivitis, bloat, hairball obstructions, and intestinal problems, such as coccidiosis. Rabbit Care & Handling These rabbits can be very affectionate, especially when a treat or food is on offer. They are very neat and tidy rabbits too and you will usually find, especially does have a tendency to keep their nest area in ship-shape condition. They do love being outside and have not really been adapted for indoor environments, the breed being evolved from a very cold, sub-antartic island. Their diet is the same for any other rabbit but just be careful not to overfeed as they can be a little greedy and do not carry excess weight well as they will be unable to groom themselves properly. Temperament/Behavior Enderby Rabbits are prone to being skittish, but you can reduce the amount of nervousness that your pet feels by simply providing him with plenty of attention and gentle handling. When an Enderby Island Rabbit is properly socialized, he will be affectionate towards the people that he has grown to trust. Bond with your pet by grooming him and giving him treats. Eventually, your rabbit might show you how much he loves you by licking and kissing you. They can be quite skittish and nervous and on the look out for predators all the time. This makes them want to naturally burrow and hide. Also keep in mind that, like all rabbits, the Enderby Rabbit is a social creature that is happiest when it is with other rabbits, so if you have the space for two or three rabbits, or you don’t have the time to dedicate to interacting with your rabbit, consider getting more than one. For several years all animals remained the property of the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand with breeding programmes being undertaken by individual caregivers. Some animals are now available for purchase by private enthusiasts, and some have even been exported to North America. Clubs Today the Enderby Island rabbit as a breed is not only rare but also endangered. The breed is endangered due to the large number of hybrids formed with individuals crossing the Enderby with other domestic rabbit breeds. The Enderby is not recognised by the BRC (British Rabbit Council) or the ARBA, (American Rabbit Breeders Association). Through the determined and dedicated efforts to keep the breed alive Sitereh and Chris Schouten of Nature's Pace near Christchurch, the Enderby Island rabbit was given breed status by the Rabbit Council of New Zealand in April, 2002 when it was accepted into their book of Standards. It should also be noted that Sitereh, is now the official recorded keeper of all Enderbys. The Enderby Island Rabbit Club of NZ has been created to protect, further and coordiante the interests of all Enderby Island Rabbit Breeders and to assist and extend the exhibition of Enderby rabbits. For a full run down on points for judging, you can purchase a copy of the standards from RCNZ THANK YOU RBCSNZ for saving this breed. Breeders, Clubs & Organizations Enderby Island Rabbit Breeders The following names and contact details are in New Zealand and are all Enderby Island specialized breeders: Elaine & Chris Gilberd, Warwickzfarm, Main South Road, Dunsandel, R D 2., LEESTON 8151. (Canterbury) Phone: (03) 325 4116. Fax: (03) 325 4539. E-mail: warwickzfarm (at) warwickzfarm.com Ava Hunt, 182 Drummond Oreti Road, R D 3, WINTON 9783. Phone: (027) 275 4713. E-mail: ava.hunt (at) xtra.co.nz Lorne and Pamela Kuehn, Waitangi Estate, Kaituna, R. D. 2, CHRISTCHURCH 8021 Phone/ Fax (03) 329 0822 E-mail lpkuehn (at) cyberxpress.co.nz Suzanne Shillito, Perrymans Road, R D 2, CHRISTCHURCH. Phone/Fax: (03) 325 3380, E-mail shillito (at) xtra.co.nz Chris & Sitereh Schouten. Phone: (03) 327 4211 E-mail cands.schouten (at) clear.net.nz For details see Natures Pace. Wee Dram Farm, 492 Oxford Road, Fernside, R D 1, RANGIORA. Phone: (03) 310 6443 E-mail: weedram (at) iconz.co.nz http://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/enderby-island-rabbit/ https://www.rarebreeds.co.nz/enderbyrabbit.html http://www.justrabbits.com/enderby-island.html http://www.roysfarm.com/enderby-island-rabbit/ http://eircnz.tripod.com/ http://www.rabbitcouncil.co.nz/rabbit-breeds/enderby-island https://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/38518/enderby-island-rabbits-grazing-1973 http://vetbook.org/wiki/rabbit/index.php?title=Enderby_Island http://www.nationalrabbitassociation.co.nz/enderby-island https://books.google.com/books?id=CI8531CO-dsC&pg=PA321&lpg=PA321&dq=Enderby+Island+Rabbits&source=bl&ots=B9wqB9DgAf&sig=Hg0QyniJ-w3mDSd8ttlboqdXzao&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir1Zj_tpTWAhWi5lQKHYtRBmU4ChDoAQg-MAc#v=onepage&q=Enderby%20Island%20Rabbits&f=false http://www.nationalsilverrabbitclub.co.uk/?q=book/export/html/45 How the Rattlesnake learned to bite http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/HowtheRattlesnakeLearnedtoBite-Pima.html After the people and the animals were created, they all lived together. Rattlesnake was there, and was called Soft Child because he was so soft in his motions. The people like to hear him rattle, and little rest did he get because they continually poked and scratched him so that he would shake the rattles in his tail. At last Rattlesnake went to Elder Brother to ask help. Elder Brother pulled a hair from his own lip, cut it into short pieces , and made it into teeth for Soft Child. "If any one bothers you", he said "bite him". That evening Ta-api, Rabbit, came to Soft Child as he had done before and scratched him. Soft Child raised his head and bit rabbit. Rabbit was very angry and scratched him again. Soft Child bit him again. Then Rabbit ran about saying that Soft Child was angry and had bitten him. Then he went to rattlesnake again, and twice more he was bitten. The bites made rabbit very sick. He asked for a bed of cool sea sand. Coyote was sent to the sea for the cool, damp sand. Then Rabbit asked for the shade of bushes that he might feel the cool breeze. But at last Rabbit died. He was the first creature which had died in this new world. Then the people were troubled because they did not know what to do with the body of rabbit. One said, "If we bury him, Coyote will surely dig him up". Another said, "if we hide him, Coyote will surely find him." And another said, "If we put him in a tree, Coyote will surely climb up." So they decided to burn the body of rabbit, and yet there was no fire on Earth. Blue Fly said, "Go to the sun and get some of the fire which he keeps in his house," So Coyote scampered away, but he was sure the people were trying to get rid of him so he kept looking back. Then Blue Fly made the first drill. Taking a stick like an arrow, he twirled it in his hands, letting the lower end rest on a flat stick that lay on the ground. Soon smoke began to rise, and then fire came. The people gathered fuel and began their duty. But Coyote, looking back, saw fire ascending. He turned and ran back as fast as he could go. When the people saw him coming, they formed a ring, but he raced around the circle until he saw two short men standing together. He jumped over them, and seized the heart of the rabbit. But he burned his mouth doing it, and it is black to this day. NEWS: Hanford’s Storybook Set to Open Phase 1 http://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2017/09/10/hanfords-storybook-set-open-phase-1/ Posted on September 10, 2017 by Nancy Vigran Volunteers have been working with fervor to compete as much as possible of the Children’s Storybook Garden and Farm History Museum Phase 1, prior to its soft opening on September 23. Located at the corner of Harris and Tenth in downtown Hanford, Storybook was the brainstorm of Judy Wait, a retired Hanford teacher. She combined her teaching skills with her love for gardening, and in 2011 with her husband, Larry, took off on a trip to visit children’s gardens around the country. Children’s Storybook Garden and Farm History Museum motivator and director, Judy Wait, shows off Peter Rabbit’s Burrow and Mr. McGregor’s House, just two of the many houses, tunnels, barns and more for children to play in when they visit. Nancy Vigran/Valley Voice Six years later, with some 70-80 regular volunteers and so many in the local community, her fairytale has become a reality, not that she ever doubted it would. “I’m a believer,” she said. “I knew it would happen – it shows how much this was wanted.” The garden and museum have been, and continue to be, developed through a non-profit organization of the same name. The original one-acre property purchase was made possible through a loan – now paid-off through a $200,000 donation through a private donor who wishes to remain nameless. Prior to that a donor-loaner, another private individual, helped ease payments by making them for the organization, allowing funds for progress on the museum and gardens. That donor-loaner has also been repaid in full. The Victorian Burr Home, to become the museum, gift shop and kitchen, was donated by Bill Clark. And, through the donations of so many others including in part, Allen Laird Plumbing, Mike Crain Heating and Air, Randy Mc Nary Construction, Dan Veyna – Sierra Landscape & Design, Zumwalt & Hansen Engineering, Home Depot, Bettencourt Farms, Joe Robinson Concrete and Willie Williams Masonry, Storybook remains debt free. “It’s very grass roots,” said Kate Catalina, a long-term volunteer. “Everything is through volunteers and local support, given with love.” Sponsorships of individual gardens and or building areas have played an important part, as well. Peter Rabbit’s Burrow is covered with sweet potato vine. Entrance to the burrow is obvious, but the exit comes out through the vine. Nancy Vigran/Valley Voice With Phase 1 comes Peter Rabbit’s Burrow, Mr. McGregor’s House, Charlotte’s Dairy Barn, the Woodland Log Cabin and Garden, a Salsa Garden, the Teaching or Kitchen Garden, Nolan’s Critter Creek and Pond, the Topiary Garden, a Pizza Garden, the Three Little Pigs homes and Monet’s House. Each garden will have its own unique features to explore, and a book box holding books representing the inspiration for each, will be placed there for reading. The Teaching Garden will be planted with fall and winter crops by the children in the first field trips. Following groups will help tend to the garden and later harvest, clean and prepare the crops. The Victorian Burr Home is furnished with antiques donated by the community. “We’re trying to set up as in its heyday,” Catalina said. The Tank House, which came along with the Burr House, is also refreshed and will be utilized in teaching water conservation. Storybook is managed and run through its volunteers. However, an educational director and teaching assistant have been hired, each with her own set of experiences. “We were lucky to get these two really special people,” Wait said. “What sold us on them, was that you could just tell they love kids and love gardening, and would love this children’s garden.” Student volunteers are also welcome and encouraged through the Green Teens Club, ages 13-18. They will learn to be docents and readers in the gardens, and will receive community service hours. There is already a 4-H club tending to some of the gardens, as well as members of World Link Volunteer, a foreign-exchange group. Upon completion of Phase 1, Phase 2 will start to come together early next year, with completion of a new bathroom facility. Also in Phase 2 will be the building of the Stone Cottage, the Secret Garden and Celebration Garden. Completion of Phase 2 will allow for Storybook to be available for weddings and other small outdoor gatherings. “I just feel like it is all coming together,” Wait said. “And, it’s beautiful as it is happening.” The Victorian Burr Home, which has become the Storybook Museum, was donated to the project by Bill Clark. Freshly painted and with updated plumbing and electricity, as well as heating and air conditioning, the museum houses various antiques donated by members of the community, and will eventually also house a gift shop. Nancy Vigran/Valley Voice Field trips for many Hanford schools have already been arranged. Any school within the county and beyond, as well as clubs and other groups are welcome to schedule a trip. Storybook will also be open to the public starting with the soft opening. The hours, to start, are Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm. Storybook will be closed on Mondays. Storybook will also feature a variety of special occasions including its first Happily Haunted Halloween Light Show in October. Some type of children’s event and adult event will eventually be held each month including multi-cultural events, Wait said. Sponsorship for areas of the gardens and buildings are still needed. Monetary donations of $50 can be applied to a foot of fencing, or a brick becoming a border on a walkway. Kings County Board of Supervisors Chair Craig Pedersen, who grew up in Kings County, said the board is excited about the project. “A place where children have the opportunity to explore and grow is a good thing,” he said. “Anything we can do to try and help, we’ll do.” For more information and to volunteer or donate, view, www.childrensstorybookgarden.org/ or call, 559-341-4845.   Joe Chianakas Pre-Releases The Final Book In His Famous Rabbit In Red Series http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/living-well/joe-chianakas-pre-releases-the-final-book-in-his-famous-rabbit-in-red-series/809144841 WASHINGTON, IL - The Rabbit in Red series continues! Joe Chianakas will soon release the final entry in the internationally acclaimed trilogy. So, prepare to read "Bury The Rabbit." The release date is actually October 28th, but Joe is set to take part in a pre-release celebration in honor of Zeek's Comics & Games 2nd anniversary this weekend. He and Zak Kalina, owner of Zeek's Comics & Games, join us now to tell us all the details. If you can't make it to this pre-release event, don't worry. You can meet Joe at Barnes & Noble on Saturday, October 28th at 1:00 pm.     Rare footage reveals Alice in Wonderland was released as a 52-minute silent movie 100 years ago where she encounters the rabbit, caterpillar and the Queen of Hearts Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4872458/Alice-Wonderland-silent-film-footage-released-1915.html#ixzz4sVHcSBZ1 Rare footage has emerged of a 102-year-old silent film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The charming clip from the 52-minute retelling of the classic story, released in 1915, shows Alice going down the rabbit hole and meeting familiar characters such as the White Rabbit and the pipe-smoking caterpillar. Alice, played by Viola Savoy, is also seen swinging a flamingo as a mallet in the peculiar croquet scene, and standing as a witness at the trial to investigate who stole the Queen of Hearts' tarts. The scenes make up a silent film released in 1915 by writer and director, WW Young. It is notable for depicting much of the 'Father William' poem that appears in Lewis Carroll's classic 1865 novel. His motion picture was a precursor of a world famous cartoon. These scenes (including Alice and the pipe-smoking caterpillar, pictured) make up a silent film by writer and director, WW Young. It is notable for depicting much of the 'Father William' poem that appears in Lewis Carroll's classic 1865 novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland   Girl sews 'Bunnies of Hope' to provide comfort for patients http://www.nbc12.com/story/36307411/girl-sews-bunnies-of-hope-to-provide-comfort-for-patients MECHANICSVILLE, VA (WWBT) - A Mechanicsville woman says her daughter spent the summer hand sewing "Bunnies of Hope." Karen Wharam Schricker says her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in May. Her daughter sewed and donated over 100 bunnies that have encouraging names and scriptures on them. The bunnies were placed in waiting rooms of radiation and oncology units. "She wanted them to have something to hold on to, feel a small bit of comfort, and to know someone cared," said Schricker.   Drones used to target Lincolnshire hare coursers http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-41171890 Lincolnshire Police's Operation Galileo is also using off-road vehicles to tackle coursers. More than 2,000 calls were made to the county's police during the 2015-16 hare coursing season. Chief Constable Bill Skelly said the introduction of drones would prove useful in gathering evidence to put before the courts. More on this and other local stories from across Lincolnshire Last season, farmers said some areas of the county resembled the "Wild West" after an escalation in the level of violence used by coursers. Mr Skelly said evidence gathered by drones would help "bring about a better result for our rural communities... and the right convictions for the worst offenders". However, Alister Green, from the National Farmers Union, said "the proof will be in the pudding". He said he hoped the use of drones, along with other measures, would help act as a deterrent. Traditionally offenses start to rise in the autumn after crops have been harvested, and continue until the end of the season in spring. Last year, coursers from as far afield as Sussex and North Yorkshire were dealt with by the force. Three arrests Hare coursing has been illegal throughout the UK since 2005. The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offense to hunt wild mammals with dogs. Lincolnshire Police has previously described the coursers as the "scourge of rural England", and said it was doing everything within its power to deal with those involved. On Tuesday, a vehicle and four dogs were seized, as police made three arrests at Braceby, near Sleaford. The force said the season had started earlier this year due to the early harvest. Hare coursing Since 2005, hare coursing has been illegal throughout the UK. The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt wild mammals with dogs The dogs - usually greyhounds, lurchers or salukis - are on a slip lead, threaded so it can be easily released The coursers will walk along the field to frighten the hare into the open The dog catches the hare and kills it by "ragging" it - shaking the animal in its teeth The dead hare is usually left in the field or thrown in a ditch     Venezuelan president's plan to beat hunger: breed rabbits – and eat them https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/14/venezuela-president-maduro-rabbit-plan Venezuela’s government has urged citizens to see rabbits as more than “cute pets” as it defended a plan to breed and eat them – even as the opposition says this would do nothing to end chronic food shortages. The “rabbit plan” is an effort by the government of Nicolás Maduro to boost food availability. Authorities have also taught citizens to plant food on the roofs and balconies of their homes. Maduro’s adversaries dismiss such ideas as nonsensical, insisting the real problem is a failed model of oil-financed socialism that was unable to survive after crude markets collapsed. Hunger eats away at Venezuela’s soul as its people struggle to survive Read more “There is a cultural problem because we have been taught that rabbits are cute pets,” the urban agriculture minister, Freddy Bernal, said during a televised broadcast with Maduro this week. “A rabbit is not a pet; it’s two and a half kilos of meat that is high in protein, with no cholesterol.“ Maduro’s critics lampooned the idea. “Are you serious?” asked Henrique Capriles, a state governor and two-time opposition presidential candidate in a video to response to Bernal. “You want people to start raising rabbits to solve the problem of hunger in our country?” Rabbit consumption is common in Europe and to lesser extent in the United States. The animals are more efficient than pigs and cattle in converting protein into edible meat, according to the United Nations food and agriculture organization. But raising rabbits in significant quantities in contemporary Venezuela would be difficult. The country’s constant shortages, resulting from stringent price and currency controls, would probably leave the would-be rabbit industry struggling to find materials ranging from feed to metal and wire for breeding cages. Maduro says the country is a victim of an “economic war” led by adversaries and fueled by recent sanctions imposed by the administration of Donald Trump.   Vice president's pet rabbit hops into book deal http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/15/politics/marlon-bundo-book-mike-pence-rabbit/index.html The precocious pet rabbit of the vice president of the United States is hopping into a book deal. Marlon Bundo, the Pence family rabbit with his own Instagram account, announced Friday that he is the star of a new book. "Marlon Bundo's 'A Day in the Life of the Vice President,' " due out March 19, will chronicle the BOTUS' (Bunny of the United States) day alongside "Grampa" Mike Pence. In the book, I follow Grampa around all day, as a BOTUS should, while he goes about his duties as Vice President!" an Instagram post from the first rabbit read. The book was written by the vice president's daughter, Charlotte Pence, with watercolor illustrations by second lady Karen Pence, an award-winning artist. Charlotte Pence adopted Marlon Bundo, named for actor Marlon Brando, for a college filmmaking project. Bundo has since gone viral, appearing at official White House events and frequently posting updates in first person on social media. "Marlon has become a national celebrity!" a press release for the book reads. A portion of the proceeds will benefit A21, an organization focused on combating human trafficking, and two art therapy programs, a key aspect of the second lady's platform. Marlon Bundo lives alongside the vice president and second lady and a veritable menagerie at the Naval Observatory. When the Pences traveled from Indiana to Washington days before the inauguration, they disembarked with cats Pickle and Oreo, plus rabbit Marlon Bundo. In the absence of a pet in the first family, Bundo has become an icon in the rabbit world. Days before the election, the family lost their beloved 13-year-old beloved beagle, Maverick. Less than a year later, cat Oreo joined Maverick in pet heaven. "Rest in peace Oreo. You touched a lot of hearts in your little life," Karen Pence tweeted alongside photos of the black and white cat. "Our family will miss you very much." But Marlon Bundo and Pickle weren't the only pets for long; one week later, the vice president, second lady, and daughter, Charlotte, traveled to their home state of Indiana, where kitten Hazel and Australian shepherd puppy Harley joined the brood. No word yet on whether the bunny will go on a book tour.     Bill would require pet stores to sell rescue animals http://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/state/article173332256.html By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press California could become the first state to ban the sale of animals from so-called puppy mills or mass breeding operations under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Jerry Brown by lawmakers. Animal rights groups are cheering the bill by Democratic Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell to require pet stores to work with animal shelters or rescue operations if they want to sell dogs, cats or rabbit. Thirty-six cities in California, including Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco already have similar bans in place, but no statewide bans exist. ADVERTISING "We've actually seen a thriving pet industry based on the model of getting these from shelters," said Democratic Assemblyman Matt Dababneh of Encino. Brown spokesman Brian Ferguson declined to comment on whether the governor plans to sign it. Private breeders would still be allowed to sell dogs, cats and rabbits directly to individuals. Supporters of the bill say it's aimed at encouraging families and individual buyers to work directly with breeders or to adopt pets in shelters. It also would ensure animals are bred and sold healthily and humanely, supporters said. Few pet stores in California are still selling animals and many already team up with rescue organizations to facilitate adoptions, according to O'Donnell's office. "Californians spend more than $250 million a year to house and euthanize animals in our shelters," O'Donnell said in a statement. "Protecting the pets that make our house a home is an effort that makes us all proud." The bill would also require pet stores to maintain records showing where each dog, cat or rabbit it sells came from and to publicly display that information. A violation of the law would carry a $500 civil fine.   Stone Bridge Preserve: Conservation Project Creates New England Cottontail Habitat https://newtownbee.com/stone-bridge-preserve-conservation-project-creates-new-england-cottontail-habitat/ In light of its goal to provide diversity in natural habitats, the Conservation Commission on September 8 provided the public with a view of the markedly changed landscape at sections of the town’s Stone Bridge Preserve, where extensive recent tree cutting has created habitat suitable for the New England cottontail rabbit to thrive. According to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), the New England cottontail is Connecticut’s only native rabbit, and differs from the Eastern cottontail, which is “now the predominant species.” Also, “New England cottontails require large patches of shrubland or young forest, often called thickets, with dense, tangled vegetation.” The New England cottontail has been designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as “a candidate for threatened or endangered status,” since 2006. The open space land where the tree cutting occurred lies along Stone Bridge Trail, a narrow dirt road that extends northward from Berkshire Road (Route 34), just south of Nighthawk Lane. The area is adjacent to the Iroquois Gas Transmission System’s cross-country pipeline. The tree cutting in the heavily canopied forest created a young forest and shrublands known as “early successional habitat.” As people toured the rolling terrain where hundreds of mature trees have been cut, they remarked that the tree trunks that lay chockablock across the ground reminded them of the damage that is done by hurricanes. Actually, after loggers cut the trees last winter, they left the tree trunks in piles scattered across the site to deter deer from walking there. The presence of deer damages the new shrubland habitat for the New England cottontail. The habitat that was created also is expected to benefit more than 50 other species. Forester Jeremy Clark, who served as the project manager for the Conservation Commission, provided a tour of the area. Iroquois provided grant funds for a forest management plan that preceded the habitat project. Mr Clark said that some “seed trees” were left standing after the cutting to provide seed for new trees to grow in the area. Lisa Wahle, a biologist who worked on the habitat project, said that the area will be scientifically monitored to gauge the extent to which New England cottontail rabbits have populated the area. Of the habitat project, the Conservation Commission states on its website, “Newtown is committed to providing diverse habitat on appropriate open space properties that will provide, shelter, food, and protection for threatened wildlife that, without intervention, may become extinct.”     © Copyrighted