Could rabbits become part of the bird flu story in Australia? A Blog by Dr Brian Cooke (available here) provides information gleaned internationally and discusses ways in which rabbits could be involved. Risk is a factor of likelihood of occurrence and the severity of any impact should it occur. The Blog helps identify possible hazards […]
Rabbits are environmental disruptors in Australia and a threat to the survival of 41 native vertebrate species, including glossy black-cockatoos. In science week we acknowledge the researchers helping understand and manage such relationships.
The 2026 Rabbit R&D Webinar had a theme of ‘new tech for traditional control’, covering topics of: Monitoring and recording rabbits and warrens Optimising RHDV-K5 Policy innovation – building resilience by rabbit control during drought Camera traps for confident rabbit control Modelling rabbit distribution – mapping threats to biodiversity Printed presentations (PDFs) and recordings (videos) […]
Evolutionary changes have been identified within myxoma strains in Australia. The research, supported by Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia, could have practical outcomes for future biocontrols. RHDV2 is the dominant rabbit biocontrol in Australia but myxomatosis still persists with sporadic outbreaks, often having significant effect. However, little is known about the evolution of the virus, especially […]
Over thirty five years worth of tissue and blood samples from Australia’s longest running rabbit monitoring site at Turretfield Research Centre (SA) were at risk of being lost until Rabbit-Free Australia and a team of researchers stepped in to secure their future. Those samples, and others from sites around Australia and remote islands, were catalogued, […]
Registration is now open for the 2026 Rabbit R&D Webinar, available here. This year the theme is ‘Rabbit management: New technologies for best practice rabbit control’. The aim of the free 2 hour Webinar is to bring together researchers and rabbit managers with new information for the effective, humane control of wild rabbits. It will include the […]
Laboratory analysis is currently required to determine if rabbits have had RHDV or other lagoviruses (diseases of rabbits and hares). A Rapid Antigen Test suitable for field application would be a valuable tool to track viruses and to help land managers make timely, informed decisions about the application of biocides like RHDV-K5. Funding from Foundation […]
100 years ago the most degraded part of a pastoral property near Yunta (SA) was fenced off to study the recovery of vegetation once stock had been removed. The idea of fencing out stock and monitoring ecological change was a science innovation of the time. Recovery of many species was slow until a vigilant campaign […]
Natarsha McPherson and Bertram Ostendorf have recently published on a project from the Nullarbor Plains, ‘Detecting rabbit and wombat warrens in broad-scale satellite imagery’. They found significant correlation between field and satellite based estimates of warrens with a user accuracy of 91% for wombats and 81% for rabbits. However the resolution of Google Earth and […]
Could gene drive technology target the abundant fertility of wild rabbits in Australia, stopping them breeding and being an effective, humane rabbit biocontrol? The 2025 CISS/Rabbit-Free Australia Rabbit R&D Webinar explored that question, covering everything from the fundamentals of the science, research to develop gene drives for rabbits, dispersal and risk management, and the ongoing […]