Albert and Paola allowed to hunt rabbits

King Albert and Queen Paola have received a hunting permit for Belvédère in Laeken, the domain where the couple resides, in order to curb the rampant rabbit population, report Brusselnieuws.be and La Capitale.

In Flanders and Wallonia, it is allowed to hunt up to 50 rabbits over a period of six months. In the Brussels-Capital Region, however, where it is forbidden, there is a veritable plague. The nearby park of Laeken, at the foot of the Atomium, is also plagued by the rapidly reproducing mammals. King Albert’s counsellor, Vincent Pardoen, therefore received an exemption from the Brussels Institute for Environmental Management (BIM) in order to deal with the problem.

According to La Capitale, the rabbits cause major damage in Queen Paola’s rose garden. Now that Pardoen has finally received authorisation to eradicate the animals, still no details have been released on how they will be dealt with: shotgun, traps or poison?