Bringing Global Rabbit Care Standards to Japan
Based on 30 years of rabbit-keeping experience in Japan and the US, we deliver rabbit care information in Japanese to protect the health and happiness of rabbits.
BunnyCareJP
House Rabbit Society (HRS)
International Partnership
BunnyCare JP is listed on the House Rabbit Society (HRS) official website as an International Partner.
Okunoshima rabbit island Q&A | 10 Frequently Asked Questions
公開日：2026年4月15日 更新日 2026年８月25日
Why are there rabbits on Okunoshima?
The rabbits are on Okunoshima because domestic European rabbits were introduced by people and later reproduced on the island.
It is commonly believed that several rabbits kept at a school were released on the island in the early 1970s. However, the exact origin is not fully documented. Other pet rabbits are also believed to have been abandoned there later, contributing to the present population.
Are the rabbits on Okunoshima wild?
No. The rabbits on Okunoshima are not native wild rabbits. They are domestic European rabbits living freely in a semi-feral state.
They are not kept as pets, but they should not be treated in the same way as native wildlife. They still have the physical and welfare needs of domestic rabbits and depend heavily on conditions created by people.
Can visitors feed the rabbits on Okunoshima?
Feeding the rabbits is not completely prohibited, but visitors must follow the island’s rules.
Do not feed rabbits by hand or on roads. Give only an amount that they can finish while you are watching, and take all leftover food and packaging home with you. Leftover food can rot, attract rats and wild boars, and affect the rabbits’ health and population.
Only offer food that is suitable for rabbits. Do not give them bread, sweets, snacks, or other processed human food.
How many rabbits live on Okunoshima?
The exact number of rabbits on Okunoshima is unknown because they move freely around the island and their numbers change with the season, food supply, weather, reproduction, disease, and mortality.
Official monitoring recorded 449 rabbits during the first half of 2025. This figure represents the number observed during the survey and should not be understood as an exact count of every rabbit living on the island.
There is no single reason for changes in the rabbit population.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people visited the island and less food was provided, which was associated with a sharp decline in the number of rabbits. Population changes can also be affected by limited food and water, disease, injuries, extreme weather, predators, reproduction, and competition between rabbits.
An official report also states that nearly 100 rabbits died in an abuse case between November 2024 and January 2025. The number recorded by monitoring later increased to 449 during the first half of 2025.
Why has the number of rabbits on Okunoshima decreased?
Can visitors touch the rabbits on Okunoshima?
No. Visitors should not touch, chase, pick up, or hold the rabbits.
Being touched or restrained can cause severe stress, and a rabbit may be injured if it struggles or is dropped. The rabbits may also carry fleas, ticks, or diseases that can affect people. Feeding by hand should also be avoided because rabbits may bite accidentally.
Please observe them quietly from a safe distance.
How many rabbits live on Okunoshima?
The exact number of rabbits on Okunoshima is unknown because they move freely around the island and their numbers change with the season, food supply, weather, reproduction, disease, and mortality.
Official monitoring recorded 449 rabbits during the first half of 2025. This figure represents the number observed during the survey and should not be understood as an exact count of every rabbit living on the island.
Why must rabbits not be abandoned on Okunoshima?
Rabbits must not be abandoned on Okunoshima because abandonment is both illegal and dangerous.
A pet rabbit released on the island may be unable to find suitable food or water. It may suffer from disease, injury, extreme weather, predators, or attacks from territorial rabbits already living there.
Abandoned rabbits can also introduce infectious diseases and disturb the island’s ecosystem. Okunoshima is not a rabbit shelter, and abandoning an animal there does not give it a safe or happy life.
Under Japan’s Act on Welfare and Management of Animals, abandoning a protected animal is a criminal offence.
What do the rabbits on Okunoshima eat?
The rabbits on Okunoshima are herbivores. Their natural diet includes grasses, leaves, stems, twigs, bark, and other available vegetation.
Some rabbits also eat food brought by visitors. However, bread, sweets, snacks, and processed human food are not suitable for rabbits and may cause digestive illness.
Visitors who feed the rabbits should follow the island’s rules, offer only rabbit-appropriate food, give only a small amount, and take all leftovers home.
Do the rabbits on Okunoshima need water?
Yes. Rabbits need regular access to clean, fresh water every day, especially during hot or dry weather.
Moisture from vegetables is not a safe substitute for drinking water. Without enough water, rabbits can become dehydrated and develop serious digestive or urinary problems.
Visitors should follow local guidance and should not leave dirty water, rubbish, or unsafe containers around the island. Any water provided must be clean and free from additives.
@bunnyintokyo
@junkohiking
Short lifespan and high mortality rate: Due to their natural wild environment and the influence of leftover food, the mortality rate for animals up to one year of age is said to be over 90%.
Incorrect feeding and increased predators : Leftover food left by tourists has led to an increase in predators and pests such as crows, rats, and wild boars, resulting in young rabbits becoming victims.
Accidents and abuse : Collisions with cars, bicycles, and shuttle buses on the island's roads, as well as serious cases of violence and abuse by humans, are frequently reported as problems.
Changes in their living environment : Their natural rhythms (ecology) are disrupted as they seek food from tourists, and excessive fighting is occurring.