Dr Emma Sherratt, of the Environment Institute (University of Adelaide), will investigate the morphological variations in rabbits and hares that enable their rapid evolution, thanks to funding via an ARC Future Fellowship. The work will help identify how these invasive species are adapting to the Australian landscape, and clarify what features facilitate, or limit, their […]
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 […]
The 27th Annual AGM of Foundation for Rabbit Free Australia will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 14th, at the Santos Conservation Centre (Adelaide Zoo). All members, prospective members and visitors are invited. The meeting will include a presentation and discussion on community involvement in rabbit control. Please RSVP to admin@rabbitfreeaustrali.org.au
At a recent meeting the RFA Committee resolved to consider forming two sub-committees in the new year: one focused on research and one on communications, the two most important facets of the Foundation’s work. Although yet to be finalised, their roles are likely to include: Research: Oversee an annual call for projects, liaise with the […]
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy continues to protect Bilby habitat and promote the recovery of wild populations of Bilbies, through their efforts in conjunction with partners such as Queensland’s Parks and Forests. To learn more about the AWC program and Greater Bilbies in general, see the AWC Wildlife Matters article on ‘Australia’s ecosystem engineer: the Greater […]
Highlighting the devastation due to invasive species and the imperative of investment in their control remains as relevant as ever according to several recent articles – especially given the impact of alien species on native species, ecosystem services, human health, and food production. A study published in ‘Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment’ found that […]
A tiny Alaskan island faces a threat as deadly as an oil spill – rats. However, ‘biological spills’ can be much worse than oil spills, because they don’t necessarily diminish over time. Biological pollution can adapt, self-propagate and spread, says Professor Anthony Ricciardi from McGill University, Montreal. Interesting to think of invasive species, like wild […]
The national Bilby Recovery Plan is under review, and new research may help re-introductions in southern Australia. The Bilby was adopted as a mascot by RFA to highlight the impact of rabbits on native wildlife and vegetation. According to the draft Recovery Plan for the Greater Bilby; ‘Bilby distribution is associated with an absence or […]
Victoria’s Rabbit Action Network has gained international acclaim with a United Nations Public Service award, for ‘delivering more inclusive and equitable services’. The program, delivered by Agriculture Victoria, brings together whole communities – land managers, farmers, scientists, government officials and the wider community – to manage one of their most invasive species, the European wild […]
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 […]