Easter Bunnies
A lot of chocolate bunnies (and ears) will be consumed starting this weekend! The first edible Easter Bunnies, made of pastry and sugar, were created in Germany during the early 1800’s. German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country brought them to America, according to Wikipedia. Today most Easter bunnies are chocolate, although bunny cookies can be found on and off cakes.
Rabbits, and eggs, are fertility symbols from ancient days. Rabbits and hares are prolific breeders, and females can conceive a second litter (”kit”) while pregnant with the first. Thus, the expressions “breed like bunnies” and “multiply like rabbits”.
This breeding capacity is partly what makes rabbits such a problem as an invasive species. WWF Australia reports that destruction by rabbits decimated the grey-headed albatross population in Australia’s Macquarie Island, the only place they were known to be in Australia. Although they’re not the only threat: grey-headed albatross also get impacted by the long line fishing industry.
However, this is the Friday File, and for those of you hoping for a game, I aim to not disappoint you! There are several bunny games online, and my favorite so far is a simple little time waster called Grabbit Rabbit: The Guarded Guardian (click here). Enjoy, and Happy Easter!
Tags: Easter Bunny, Grabbit Rabbit, grey-headed albatross, history, invasive species, long line fishing, Macquarie Island, rabbits, WWF Australia
