Jackrabbits At JFK Airport!

Photo of a jackrabbit at JFK by Robert Horvath

We've confronted many an animal on the JFK Airport tarmacs: geese, dogs, turtles. But the area is filled with other adorable beasts just waiting to cause delays. Right now, it's looking like the next enemy could be... the jackrabbit. The City Birder got the inside scoop on the unofficial zoo from Robert Horvath, who's in charge of keeping the runways clear.

"Any given day while working as a falconer at Kennedy I'll see kestrels, peregrines, osprey, jackrabbits (yep, urban legend they escaped from a shipment there over 50 years ago) and muskrat, just to name of few. Definitely makes it an adventure every day not knowing what I'll encounter there. And it isn't even migration time yet."

The City Birder says, based on the photo of this particular jackrabbit at JFK, it's likely a black-tailed one (the white-tails are usually found in more mountainous regions). Someone should really write a children's book about these airport animals... oh the things they've seen!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on August 14, 2009 2:42 PM

Comments [rss]

Felix Hoenikker

nom nom nom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Ljr0bg-ss

http://www.rabbithuntingonline.com/recipes/

Spirit of 76

I'm sure the Port Authority will be happy to attest how these nefarious creatures are just waiting for the opportunity to bound into the engine of a jet nearing takeoff.

[mis]inheritance

Yep. And they would call them nefarious creatures, too--depending on how they're feeling that day.

newsyspice

Bloomberg's goose gassing hasn't done much. The long-necked dudes are re-assembling at Flushing Meadows. I would say the population there has re-bounded by half.

drewo

Eary

Dead Himmler

I do not see how this is a safety issue or a nuisance. With that being said I would not be totally against culling these pests for landscape reasons.

felixthecat2

it is you that should be put down for Living of my taxes. you are defrauding Worker Comp and the MTA and you state your Boss approves of this fraudulent behavior. Tell me his name.

Dead Himmler

His name is Johnny Hammersticks.

ANGRYGOD11

Fudd is a wimp. We need Yosemite Sam on the job.

ides_of_march

Elmer Fudd to the white courtesy phone please...

felixthecat2

damn, you are so blood thirsty, you enjoyed the shooting of human and rabbits. how sad you are.

ANGRYGOD11

In ides_of_march's defense, Elmer Fudd hasn't been able to kill anything with a monster shotgun for decades. Although he has done a good job of blasting Daffy Duck's beak off during Rabbit Season.

felixthecat2

He takes too much pleasure from suffering

ides_of_march

Making an off-hand reference to a cartoon character now equates taking pleasure from suffering? Whatever pills you're on, I think the doctor needs to change the dosage.

ides_of_march

It's only the middle of the month and you've obviously run out of your meds already.

sidenote

JFK has a Falconer? That's badass.

hotstepper

death to the long-ears.

CR

"oh the things they've seen!" Yeah, like airport baggage handlers stealing my sh*t.

Also, felix, r-e-l-a-x...

Think2wice

Jumpin' Jackrabbits!

felixthecat2

Damn, why put up this story, if Bloomberg finds out then he will KILL them. They don't make money for him so he will GASS them as the Geese. He would like to Gas the Homeless but he can't so he provides them with one way ticket out of HIS CITY