Why Are There So Many Bunnies in Harewood?

April 3, 2026

If you've spent any time around Harewood – especially near Vancouver Island University – you've probably seen the little bunnies everywhere. They hop across fields, lounge in the grass, and dart across paths like they own the place.

And honestly – they kind of do.

For decades now, rabbits have been part of the everyday landscape in Harewood. While documented studies trace the campus population back to around 2009, plenty of locals remember them being everywhere long before that.

What likely began as abandoned or escaped domestic European rabbits, at some point turned into a full-on urban colony.

And Harewood embraced them.

The name alone – Harewood – feels like fate. The old Harewood Mall leaned into it with a bunny in their logo and paw prints on the walls, and over time, the rabbit became something of an unofficial neighbourhood mascot.

I played for the Harewood Mall softball team when I was a kid in the 1980s, and we all wore the bunny on our jerseys.

Even just a few days ago, Vancouver Island University joked in an April Fool's Day post that the school would be changing its logo to one featuring a bunny.

And yes the bunnies are incredibly cute – but they're leaving some members of the community hopping mad.

Follow me down the bunny rabbit hole...

Rabbits are incredibly good at being rabbits. They reproduce quickly, dig burrows, and aren't too picky about where they live. This becomes a problem when "where they live" includes sports fields, parks, and landscaped areas. Over the years, the City of Nanaimo has dealt with complaints about holes in fields, damaged turf, and maintenance crews spending serious time (and money) trying to keep things playable and safe.

There's been talk of solutions for years – everything from deterrents and habitat management, to more controversial options. But unlike some other places, Nanaimo has mostly avoided large-scale lethal culls, in part because of strong pushback from animal advocates who favour humane approaches like trapping, sterilization, and relocation programs.

Then came 2018, when a sudden outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease swept through the VIU and Harewood area, killing a huge portion of the local rabbit population in a matter of weeks. It was shocking at the time, with dead rabbits appearing across campus and nearby parks, and for a moment it looked like the bunny era might be over.

But rabbits being rabbits, they bounced back.

Now the population has rebounded enough that the city is once again trying to figure out how to manage them. Natural deterrents, predator encouragement, and monitoring are all part of the current approach – but there's still no perfect solution.

Because the truth is, this isn't just a problem. It's a relationship.

Yes, they dig holes. Yes, they cost the city money. And sure, maybe the odd soccer player has cursed a rabbit burrow mid-game. But they also bring something rare into everyday life – a bit of unexpected nature, a moment of calm, a reason to stop and smile on your way across campus.

In a world where most urban wildlife keeps its distance, Harewood's rabbits chose to live right alongside us.

And whether you see them as a nuisance or a neighbourhood treasure, they've become part of the story of this place.

And oh yeah: Happy Easter!