Old joke what do you call a man with a rabbit up his bum.....Warren!

Rabbits are destroying our Roman heritage, lucky the fat bunnies are not resposible for the tunneling mentione below.

Rabbit invasion puts Roman forts under siege
By Auslan Cramb, Scotland Correspondent
(Filed: 26/10/2004)

Rabbits are threatening to destroy forts and watchtowers built by the invading Roman legions 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists say burrows have undermined about 60 defensive sites in Scotland, and some structures are in danger of collapse.

The large fort at Ardoch, near Braco in Perthshire, established about 80AD, is one of the worst-affected sites.

Established more than 40 years before Hadrian's Wall, it is the earliest example of a Roman frontier fort in Britain and was one of the largest in the country, covering six acres.

Historians believe it was built at the time of the Battle of Mons Graupius, between the Caledonians and the forces of the Roman governor of Britain, Gnaeus Julius Agricola.

Hundreds of rabbits have now created burrows inside its defensive dirt ramparts.

David Woolliscroft, of Liverpool University, who has been working on the site for more than 15 years, said it was "only a matter of time" before it was damaged beyond repair.

"Rabbits have caused a visible deterioration in Ardoch even in the relatively short space of time I have been working there," he said.

"It is a similar story at Roman sites across Scotland. Some have already been devastated by the burrowing. The earliest forts were made of timber and turf, so they are ideal for rabbit warrens.

"Unfortunately, all that burrowing means the different layers of soil get jumbled together. As the archaeological deposits get churned up, it destroys our ability to understand the history of the site.

"Rabbit holes also open up the insides of the structure to the elements, which dramatically increases the damage done by wind and rain erosion.

"Ardoch is without question the best preserved Roman fort in Scotland, and it would be a tragedy if it too was to be destroyed by rabbits."

Mr Woolliscroft said that unless the population was brought under control, Ardoch would become "virtually useless" as an archaeological site.

Historic Scotland recently conducted an investigation into the damage done by rabbits and other mammals, and a spokesman said it was in negotiation with the owners of the fort in an attempt to reduce rabbit numbers.

"Many archaeological sites are protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. Unfortunately the Act is not widely understood in Scotland's rabbit warrens," he said.