Effective planning is one of the keys to effective rabbit control – and now is a great time to start planning a summer control program. A case study from Riverina Local Land Services (NSW) shows the benefit of sound planning at a district scale (mapping warrens and arranging the most suitable machinery to use in […]
Grazing by rabbits, even at post-calici densities, can still inhibit the recruitment of palatable plant species and result in more weeds like horehound; that is one of the findings of a recent project from PhD candidate Neil Ross (UNSW). Neil studied 15 long-term grazing exclosures in the NSW and SA rangelands to understand the impact […]
The continuing ecological recovery of Macquarie Island demonstrates the effectiveness of starting at the bottom of the food web to generate landscape health. An initial focus on feral cats triggered a boom in rabbit and rat populations. Eliminating rabbits, rats and mice paved the way for predator removal and triggered a revival in vegetative habitat […]
The recent Rabbit R&D Update webinar was a source of great information on rabbits, bio-controls and the impact of rabbits on the environment, including sustaining feral predators. Materials from the webinar are now available: Presentations as PDFs: Brian Cooke, European rabbit fleas. Katherine Moseby, Rabbits & feral cats. Andreas Glanznig, Nationally coordinated rabbit biocontrol R&D. […]
Monitored since an introduction of calicvirus in 1996, a rabbit colony on Turretfield Research Centre (South Australia) is the longest serving, continually monitored rabbit research site in the world. Data from the site have helped deliver a better understanding of rabbit biology, the transmission and effect of bio-controls (RHDV, RHDV2 and myxomatosis), and rabbit genetics, […]
The ‘Bilbies not Bunnies’ slogan is a reminder of the harm rabbits cause and the need to control them if native plants and animals are to flourish. European wild rabbits changed Australian landscapes, removing vegetation and abetting soil erosion which was so widespread in the early 1900s that State governments introduced Soil Conservation legislation to […]
Our ‘bilbies not bunnies’ slogan is a reminder of Easter Bilby’s message of hope and new life. Throughout much of Australia removing wild rabbits is a precursor to reviving natural vegetation and the native animals that depend upon it; including bilbies which were once found in most places where rabbits now occur. Removing rabbits brings […]
A systems approach is needed to ensure threatened species survive outside of fenced sanctuaries. Rabbit control, especially when linked with cat and fox control, will be an important foundation to such efforts in many parts of Australia due to their ecosystem-wide influence.
Following floods and wet seasons in much of Australia it is time to think about strategic responses for recovery programs. Feral pests – especially rabbits – should feature in the mix according to Rabbit-Free Australia. ‘Floods may be bad news for rabbits, but after waters recede it can be boom time for bunnies – and […]
Registration is now open for the 2023 Rabbit R&D Webinar, co-hosted by Rabbit-Free Australia and CISS (Centre for Invasive Species Solutions). This year the Webinar is looking at rabbits as part of bigger systems, with a focus on bio-controls (Dr Brian Cooke) and their role in ecosystems, including interactions with feral predators (A/Prof Katherine Moseby). […]