In the mid-1980s, Canmore was a sleepy little mountain town in the midst of recreating itself, following the closure of its last remaining coal mine. It was a time of growth. Canmore had been chosen as the venue for all cross-country ski and biathlon events for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The Canmore Nordic Centre was in the midst of construction. It was an exciting time. However, it was rumored that the action of one unnamed Canmorite would forever change the landscape of this small town.

What was the incident, you ask? Around 1985, a dozen domestic rabbits were released into the wild. They were expected to be quickly devoured by coyotes, cougars or perhaps an occasional bear. That didn’t quite happen as planned. Many of them SURVIVED. And then, as the saying goes, they bred like rabbits.

These fluffy cuties became quite famous. By 2011, the bunny population had grown to around 2,500. Tourists loved them while some locals loathed them. Canmore became synonymous with bunnies. They were also forever immortalized (in a sick way) in Canmoretown, a YouTube series created by Theatre Canmore.

Destruction of land and property as well as attracting large predators was their modus operandi. And, let’s not forget the excessive amount of poop left in their wake. Canmore’s Feral Rabbit Management Program was created to reduce their presence. But not without a fight. It seems those rascals figured out the danger they were in and have since become quite elusive.

Dave and I stalked the famous ones early last week. They are best seen early morning or mid to late afternoon, between First and Fifth streets. We saw plenty of them. Awww, the bunnies were cute (for the most part}— a variety of all ages, sizes, and colors. They made the town so cuddly.

They continue to spread the love. And, it seems the bunnies have been on the move, with sightings as far away as Exshaw.

I get the feeling that love‘em or hate‘em, these bunnies are here to stay.