The Lost Sparkle of Great Britain

Around the weekend of April 10-11, one of the world’s largest rabbits named Darius, was reported missing. 

Over the weekend, Darius the rabbit disappeared from his home in Stoulton, Worcestershire, England, a village about 130 miles northwest from London. Authorities are guessing that this disappearance is not just a runaway, but instead, theft. No solid evidence has been reported that backs this theft claim, and no other evidence or articles have surfaced relating to this disappearance. Darius’s owner Annette Edwards, is offering a reward of $2,750 for his safe return. Edwards believes that Darius was stolen for breeding purposes, but Edwards states that Darius is too old for breeding now and just wants him to be returned home safely. 

Darius the rabbit is a Continental Giant Rabbit, also known as the German Giants. These are a very large breed of German rabbits that were originally bred for meat, but now they are recognized as a very friendly and easily trained housepet that are great as family pets. The Continental Giant Rabbits are a breed that have been recognized by the British Rabbit Council, but surprisingly not the American Rabbit Breeders Association.

 Darius is currently the Guiness world record holder for the longest rabbit in the world, measuring in at four feet and three inches long, he has held this title since 2010. This is sadly not the first tragedy to hit Annette Edwards. 

Back in 2017, one of Darius’s offspring named Simon, suddenly died on his flight from Great Britain to Chicago due to unknown reasons. The circumstances surrounding Simon’s death is still unclear and remains a mystery, as Simon was reported to be “fit as a fiddle” during his check-up before departure. According to an article published by USA Today, the purchasers of Simon filed a lawsuit against United Airlines, accusing the company of cremating Simon’s remains without permission in order to destroy evidence about what caused his death. In an article posted by The Des Moines Register, one claim stated by Guy Cook, the leading attorney in this lawsuit, stated that Simon was inadvertently misplaced in a freezer, but a United spokesperson quickly countered and said the claim was completely false. 

Other reasons have been brought forward for Simon’s death such as miscommunication about the rabbit being loaded onto the plane without proper conditions set before flight, but the reason is still unknown today. Simon was to be the contender of being the next world’s longest rabbit, already growing at three feet at 10 months old. 

Darius is an iconic animal throughout the U.K. and has had a lengthy history of travelling all over the world making public appearances. Darius is such a valuable animal that he is currently insured up to $1.6 million dollars and has even travelled with his own bodyguard according to an article by NBC News Today. 

Today, Darius is now 12 years old, which is way past the average lifespan of the regular German Giant, but his long lifespan is thanks to a special diet Edwards has implemented. Despite the special diet, it might be Darius’s downfall if not fed properly, or a predator might catch him if he is dumped, which is why Edwards is imploring a quick and safe return. Darius is a prized possession of Edwards, and in an interview with the New York Times, she described Darius as, “An old man who can be a bit grumpy, but he hasn’t lost his sparkle.”