The ABC TV program Landline featured a story on rabbits and RHDV on March 25. The story looked back over the 11 years that RHDV has been active in the Australian environment and how it has impacted on rabbit populations during that time.
Since its escape from Wardang Island, SA, in 1995 rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) has caused massive mortalities in Australia’s rabbit populations. The crash in rabbit numbers is giving cause for cautious optimism as pastoralists and researchers record the impact on native flora and fauna and on agriculture, and work to keep the populations pinned down.
ECOS magazine, an online based publication produced by the CSIRO, has published the timely article entitled: Rabbits’ resurgence puts the bush under pressure By Rachel Sullivan. Rabbits are back – in increasing numbers, posing a major threat to Australia’s recovering landscapes.
Efforts to reduce the destructive impact of rabbits have been enhanced with the appointment by Industry & Investment (I&I) NSW of research scientist Tarnya Cox to develop monitoring and release strategies for new strains of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV).
RFA has received letters from both the Hon. Paula Wriedt, MHA, Minister for Tourism, Arts & the Environment, Tasmania, and the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Resources thanking the Foundation for their interest in the eradication of rabbits and rodents on Macquarie Island. Both Ministers informed us that the Tasmanian […]