Overview

Key steps for rabbit control

‘Key Steps’ presents a recipe for success. All steps should be followed if possible, with adaptation to suit individual circumstances. In some cases, that might mean skipping a step.

The keys to effective rabbit control are to:

      ASSESS

  • Define the problem. Rabbit damage
  • Measure the problem. Know your target

     PLAN

  • Scope the Plan
  • Develop the Plan
      MANAGE

  • Implement selected control options.
    • Knockdown: Reduce numbers
    • Knockout: Destroy burrows to prevent breeding
    • Mop-up: Cleanout remnant rabbits
  • Follow-up: Monitor and Respond
      IMPROVE

  • Evaluate the Plan
  • Revise and Modify the Plan

Strategies for effective rabbit control are to:

  • Work at the landscape level with neighbours and like-minded organisations.
  • Deal with associated weeds and pests (especially cats and foxes), at the same time.
  • Use a well sequenced mix of biological and physical or chemical controls, (e.g. bio-control, rip, and fumigate). Biological controls will rarely be sufficient on their own.

For a short introduction to the key principles of rabbit control and control options, see ‘Keys to Rabbit Control’, available here.

Strategic pest management

Effective pest management is about fixing a problem. It is not about the quantum of pests removed. It involves specifying the problem, understanding the cause of the problem, and finding solutions that resolve the problem. As examples of similar problems with different solutions, destruction of planted seedlings by rabbits in a regeneration area may be overcome by using tree guards, but destruction of naturally regenerating seedlings by rabbits in a nature reserve will require the elimination of rabbits, at least until regenerating plants are well above rabbit grazing height.

In pest management, immediate problems may be solved by controlling a target species (removing the immediate cause), but longer-term solutions often require broader, more integrated, solutions to prevent a recurrence of the problem. It might mean dealing with several different pest species at once, changing management to remove the cause of the problem, and working with neighbours and resource management agencies. Ideally pest control becomes an integral part of the ongoing cycle of property management.

Adaptive management framework

An ’adaptive management framework’ is recommended practice for pest control.

It is based on a ‘plan – do – review’ approach that involves thoughtful development and implementation of a plan, along with its review and ongoing refinement in a process of continual improvement.

A Template of Questions is available as a guide through the process.

Peri-Urban Rabbit Control

‘Peri-urban’ areas are characterised by small properties, often with gardens and extensive areas of shelter and green feed, where rabbits’ home-range may spread across neighbouring properties. Options for rabbit control may be limited in these situations, and it can be difficult to gain support from across diverse communities. A modified version of the Key Steps is available to address those technical and social challenges: view this page.

Useful resources:

pestSMART website

Rabbit Control Plan – Template

Template of questions

ASSESSDefine the problem. Rabbit damage.

  1. What harm is occurring and why is it a problem?
  2. What is causing the problem and why has it arisen – what is the root cause?

Measure the problem. Know your target species

  1. Where does the target species occur, and how prolific is it?
  2. Does the target species have any behavioural or biological weaknesses?

PLAN

Scope the Plan.

  1. Are other animals (pests, native fauna or livestock) or weeds associated with your target pest, due to?
    • Competition for feed or habitat, e.g. feral goats or deer?
    • Predator – prey relationships, e.g. feral cats or foxes?
    • Weeds providing harbour or being spread by the pest, e.g. blackberries?
  2. Could the control of your target pest have adverse effects? NB Any ‘prey-shifting’ by cats or foxes is generally only temporary and far outweighed by the ecosystem-wide advantages of rabbit control.
  3. Will controlling your target pest help, or be helped by, the control of other pests or weeds?
  4. Is your target pest likely to re-invade from adjacent properties if not controlled there?
  5. Are there other people or agencies dealing with the same problems who may have advice, resources or experiences to share?

Develop a plan with clear objectives

  1. What outcome do you want to achieve?
  2. Are there different control strategies that may suit different circumstances, complement each other, or fit best with other aspects of property management?

MANAGE

Implement the Plan. Tailor control techniques and strategies to suit.

  1. Which method, or combination of the available control methods, will best suit your situation?
  2. Is the timing or sequencing of control options important for the best results and best fit with other property management operations?

Follow-up: Monitor outcomes and responses.

  1. What will you measure to know if your plan achieved the desired outcome?
  2. How and when will you collect information to measure the effectiveness of your plan?

IMPROVE

Evaluate the plan

  1. Which aspects of the plan were most successful and which weren’t?
  2. If areas weren’t as successful as hoped was it because of problems with implementation or because the expected outcomes didn’t occur?

Revise. Modify and repeat as necessary

  1. What changes will be needed to make the plan more effective and efficient?