Rabbits invade Mandela museum island
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South Africa's Robben Island museum will be closed while authorities cull a colony of rabbits that has invaded the site where Nelson Mandela was jailed.
Authorities say the museum, popular with tourists wanting to see the former president's cell, will be temporarily closed while the rabbits are killed to protect plant life and historical buildings at the World Heritage site.
"The current population is so large that it threatens to permanently damage the island's sensitive vegetation and poses a serious threat to other fauna species," the museum's acting chief executive, Seelan Naidoo, said.
He said the exact number of rabbits was unknown.
The culling will be followed by a sterilisation program to sustain a small, manageable rabbit population.
The island museum, located offshore from Cape Town, will be closed from November 1-16.
- Reuters
