What killed the rabbit?

[TehLizardKing]

This morning, (about 6AM) i was walking through the garden, and i saw something over by the shed. Thinking it was a rabbit lying down on its side, i started walking towards it, trying to see how close i could get. It turns out it was a rabbit lying down on its side...only it was dead. It looked perfectly fine, apart from there was one eye missing. (Courtesy of the on site raven rubbish cleaning service

) On closer inspection, there was a large piece torn out of its left ear, and part of its intestines and liver flung about three feet away. the only mark on the rabbit apart from the eye and ear, was that its....ehem....'rear end' hole was torn open very wide, with blood all over the floor around it. I would like to know what might have killed it, so the same doesn't happen to my girls. I don't have a picture, because it was cleaned up (well, thrown in to the field) before I had thought about it.

 

[thebanthams]

I had the happen here once, it was so weird that it didnt eat all of them. depending what kind of wild life you have in your area, may got it. I think neighbors dog got this rabbit in my yard . ( wild rabbit) Foxes, coyotes, racoons, just a hint.

 

[TehLizardKing]

Ah....i think that is kind of impossible, as I live in the UK. Sorry, I probably should have specified that. that is why i was shocked...as i dont think stoats kill for fun, i doubt it was a fox, and we don't have mink, cats, dogs, or otters in the area....wierd

 

[Oregon Blues]

In the UK, there is a rabbit disease that turns the eyes white and blinds the rabbit. (sorry, can't think what it is called. google would probably turn it up). Once the rabbit is blind, anything can kill it. Or if it just dies, scavengers will eat it.

Method of eating sounds like crows or ravens.