Long term monitoring on Macquarie Island has shown that when rabbit populations were high the probability of albatross breeding dropped by one to two thirds. The studies also revealed a web of interactions between cats, rabbits, vegetation and albatrosses. Data collected between 1995 and 2014 showed that rabbit numbers increased when feral cats were removed […]
Post-fire field conditions can be an opportunity to control wild rabbits. Warrens may be exposed, and it is timely to remove rabbits before they retard the regrowth of vegetation and influence which species recover and which don’t. The Victorian Rabbit Action Network present a guide for rabbit control in fire-affected landscapes in the Feb. 2020 […]
MacQuarie Island has been declared rabbit-free and rodent-free after a seven year eradication program. The achievement is of global significance because never before have rabbits, rats and mice all been eradicated from an island as big as MacQuarie at the same time. For more information, see the ABC News article by Laura Beavis and Linda […]
Now is the perfect time to get on to rabbit control and predator management, before it’s too late. Join Josh Rosser (SA Rabbit Control Coordinator) to discuss fox and rabbit control in a special webinar, Wed, Feb. 5th. For more information, see the Sheep Connect website.
The Victorian Rabbit Action Network (VRAN) has been internationally acclaimed as a successful rabbit management program. Two recent social science papers describe their approach and some of the theory behind it. Key points: The Victorian Rabbit Action Network: Moved away from a top-down, regulatory (roles-based) approach. Defined rabbit management as a ‘wicked problem’ needing a […]
Over abundant rabbit populations lead to high densities of feral cats – and a correspondingly high impact of cats on native species, especially small mammals. What happens when rabbit numbers drop? Research to see if cats prey-switch (eat more small mammals) or if their numbers drop instead (not impacting native animals) has concluded that: Cat […]
Thirty Bilbies from a breeding colony on Thistle Island (South Australia) have been released in a 9,570 Ha predator-proof enclosure in NSW. The feral-free reserve was established by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and the NSW government, in the Mallee Cliffs National Park. The collaborative work is a great example of landscape restoration once feral […]
Spotlight counts of rabbits from 116 sites across Australia, taken over 41 years, have enabled modellers to better understand what makes a ‘rabbit hotspot’ – places of high rabbit persistence. These areas are high priorities for well-timed eradication programs. The research team was able to use the survey data to test a new model of […]
A mix of recent stories from New Zealand highlight the importance of controlling invasive species for the benefit of native plants and animals – and the importance of public engagement as part of the solution. An article in the NZ Herald begins by asking if there is any solution to the devastating problem of rabbits. […]
Several recent news stories highlight the importance of controlling feral animals, like rabbits, cats and foxes, in order to restore native ecosystems. Scientists have shown that invasive species are responsible for hundreds of species becoming extinct, and have concluded that removing invasive species from islands would benefit nearly 10% of the most endangered species on […]