Despite the abundance, and in some cases over-population, of some wild animals, they contribute little to the UK diet. Indeed, despite the large populations of rabbits in Britain, a recent review of European rabbit consumption has classified England as a ‘rabbit-rearing desert’ where people are not interested in them as a source of food.

It is possible to purchase rabbit meat in supermarkets but, look carefully, and you will find it has invariably been imported from the many rabbit farms on the continent.

This situation is bizarre, unethical in terms of food miles and also reduces opportunities for increasing jobs in the rural sector. Why does the UK import farmed rabbits when wild rabbits are available in abundance?

The rabbit situation is just the tip of the iceberg and similar scenarios can be found for other ‘invasive’ species that are present in abundance but, should you wish to purchase meat from them, it will most probably have been imported.