In the border regions of Finland on public roads you can find not only elk, but rabbits, the population of which is growing every year.
Rabbit in Finnish sounds like “Janis”. Critical even for a relatively small country with a population of 5.5 million people weight wild rabbits were recorded in 2011, when the South and South-East of the country hunters allowed the unlicensed shooting of these animals. After all, the rabbits came there in the spring and summer settlements, not only defaces the bark of trees, but with pleasure swallowed harvested by local residents for the supplies that is inflicted significant damage at the household level. With the help of Finnish hunters for some time, the problem was solved, but today, in the summer of 2016, she again stood up the cornerstone because the population of wild rabbits in southern and South-Eastern provinces of Finland has increased. I myself had the opportunity to witness this unusual situation: I took a picture of Finnish well-fed wild rabbits near the Central square of the Finnish city of Joensuu. In parks, green zones” within the city limits you see them in flocks as parkland rabbits perceive as their native forest. But today is a special situation — they dig holes literally at the entrance to homes, garages, free-standing saunas and auxiliary buildings. And this is a real risk of violation of the established rhythm of work of municipal services.
These include the hunters, more or less clear: our local colleagues are waiting for a visual signal of the permission of the municipal authorities to shoot the pervader of all animals. But it is interesting and a different attitude to animals of the Finns, not having the hunting ticket. Ordinary people are very careful animals. First time in the country on a tourist visa I was surprised that the street is often met people walking their two dogs, not one. In Russia usually two dogs are breeders engaged in breeding the puppies, and, of course, fellow hunters. In Finland, dog owners explain that they have two animals, because dogs are very bored alone. The original explanation, isn’t it?
No less interesting the respect of the Finns to the domestic and wild animals, to nature in General. The law on environmental protection, and other laws; here their action is not nominally. In this “land of a thousand lakes”, and it seems unusual combination of technical equipment of citizens with their surrounding forests and lakes. Maybe that’s why in towns near apartment buildings, almost like cats, rabbits.
Comes to mind a comparison with another country in Canada on the streets of some cities, you can see black squirrels. To me these meetings happen regularly in Toronto. This attitude to animals as equals, says a lot. Communication of the Finns are not in the least surprising for the Russians. Not here to talk about their personal life, parents, friends. Is the norm, if a student (free time) goes to her parents to clean the house and wash the dishes for a certain predetermined cost.
Although the Finnish pragmatism is expressed not only in this. Due to the fact that our neighbors — colleagues-hunters often silent and otherwise Express emotions, creates the erroneous impression of isolation and secrecy as the special mentaliteti line. But Russian is the hunter himself talking to a Finnish colleague, to show attention, interest, and Finn is transformed, it becomes very good, and most importantly, a valid interlocutor, gives a lot of useful information that has undoubted value, therefore, translates the experience. How Finns cope with the invasion of wild rabbits in their city, this time is too early to say, but most likely, the situation will develop in analogy with 2011. For some time the population will decrease, and in three to five years, given the well-known fertility eared animals, we can again predict the rabbit population explosion. For the Russians it is primarily interested in the case, if the rabbits will be in droves to cross the state border of Finland with the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad oblast. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. This rabbit migration it is necessary to prepare already today.
