Helsinki city council said Monday that the capital's feral rabbit cull had been successful in reducing pest numbers, with populations in and around Töölö Bay appearing to have fallen to almost nil.

"I think they spotted a single rabbit where before they would spot as many as 100," said Mikko Yletyinen, a council official.

Last year, the agriculture and forestry ministry changed hunting regulations in order to reduce feral European rabbit numbers.

STT