The sense of smell and food-finding in the rabbit: a study of lures for rabbit-poisoning

Abstract

Raspberry essence, an extensively used rabbit lure, was tested under field, enclosure, and pen conditions; in no instance was it found to have significant effect in attracting rabbits to bait, nor did the rabbits tested show any preference for "lured" oats when offered in free choice with "unlured" oats. It is suggested that the sense of smell plays small part in the food-finding of the rabbit, and that the addition of a lure to bait used for poisoning rabbits is unlikely to improve the success of the technique, as currently used.