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Australia has been facing a rabbit plague since the introduction of the species in the late 19th century. The recent spike in the rabbit population in Australia can be attributed to the species' ability to adapt to the natural environment, their quick breeding, and the lack of natural predators. The release of viruses and poisons has been used to control the rabbit population, but growing genetic resistance has allowed the population to recover. The impact of rabbits on the environment and agriculture is significant, causing soil erosion, loss of plant biodiversity, and reduced crop yields. With rabbit populations on the rise again, Australia's carbon-offset industry and agricultural sectors are at risk.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for introduction of rabbits | Food, hunting sport, and desired hunting quarry |
| Year of introduction | 1788 and 1859 |
| Number of rabbits introduced | 24 |
| Location of introduction | Near Geelong, Victoria |
| Cause of population explosion | Lack of natural predators, emergence of a hardier breed, quick breeding |
| Impact | Environmental and economic disruption, damage to indigenous flora and fauna, soil erosion, competition with native animals for food and habitat |
| Control measures | Myxoma virus, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV), poison |
| Current rabbit population in Australia | Approximately 200 million |
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What You'll Learn
The introduction of European rabbits in the 1800s
Rabbits were first introduced to Australia by the First Fleet in 1788. They were likely bred as food animals, in cages. In the initial years, they were not very widespread, as evidenced by their absence from archaeological collections of colonial food remains.
By 1827, a newspaper article observed that rabbits were "becoming so numerous throughout the colony, that they are running about on some large estates by thousands". This marked the beginning of a localized rabbit population explosion in Tasmania in the early 19th century.
In 1857–1858, Alexander Buchanan, the overseer of F. H. Dutton's Anlaby Estate in South Australia, released several rabbits for hunting sport. The rabbit population remained stable until around 1866, likely kept in check by native carnivores. However, by 1867, the population had exploded. This sudden increase was attributed to the disappearance of native predators and the emergence of a hardier breed through natural selection.
The current infestation appears to have originated with Thomas Austin, who released at least 12 wild rabbits for hunting on his property, Barwon Park, in October 1859. These rabbits were imported from England and may have been a genotype better adapted to the Australian environment. Many other farms followed suit, releasing their rabbits into the wild. The rabbits thrived in their new environment, rapidly spreading across southern Australia.
Within 50 years, rabbits had spread throughout most of the continent, wreaking havoc on indigenous flora and fauna. They reached Victoria by 1880, New South Wales by 1886, South Australia and Queensland by 1890, and the Northern Territory by the 1900s. By 1910, feral rabbits had colonized most of their current range.
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The rabbits' lack of natural predators
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was introduced to Australia in 1788 by the First Fleet. They were bred as food animals and for hunting sport. However, due to their lack of natural predators on the continent, they quickly spread across the country, causing significant environmental and economic damage.
Native quolls were the only predators of the rabbits, and they played a role in impeding the establishment of rabbit colonies on the mainland. However, colonists systematically exterminated quolls to protect introduced species such as chickens. Without natural predators to keep their numbers in check, rabbits began to outcompete native species for resources and contributed to soil erosion.
By the 1860s, rabbits had become firmly established, and by the 1870s, they had spread throughout most of the continent. Their rapid reproduction, with more than four litters a year and up to five kits per litter, further exacerbated their population growth. The absence of natural predators allowed them to thrive and cause extensive damage to indigenous flora and fauna.
In addition to their lack of natural predators, the success of rabbits in Australia can also be attributed to their adaptability and hybrid vigour. The interbreeding of different types of rabbits introduced to the country resulted in hybrids that were better suited to the Australian environment, contributing to their rapid spread.
The lack of natural predators, combined with other factors such as quick breeding and genetic advantages, has led to the recent population spike of rabbits in Australia, causing ongoing challenges for the country's agriculture and conservation sectors.
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The rabbits' quick breeding rate
The European rabbits in Australia have a high fecundity rate, which means they reproduce very quickly. They can birth more than four litters a year, with each litter containing as many as five kits (baby rabbits). This means that a single rabbit can give birth to 20 kits a year. This breeding rate, combined with their absence of natural predators on the continent, has contributed to the rapid spread of rabbits across Australia.
The first wild rabbits in Australia were introduced by Thomas Austin in 1859. Austin, who had previously been an avid hunter in England, released rabbits on his property, Barwon Park, near Winchelsea, Victoria, for hunting purposes. Within a year, hunters had killed 50,000 rabbits in the area. By the 1870s, rabbits had spread throughout Victoria and were found in New South Wales. They continued their rapid expansion, reaching South Australia and Queensland by 1886 and the eastern parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory by the 1900s.
The rapid reproduction and spread of the rabbit population in Australia have had devastating consequences for indigenous flora and fauna. Rabbits compete with native animals for food and habitat, and their grazing contributes to soil erosion and the loss of plant biodiversity. They can also act as a food source for introduced predators, leading to increased lamb losses and a decrease in small mammal diversity.
Attempts to control the rabbit population through the introduction of viruses, such as the myxoma virus and the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV), have had initial success but eventually lost their effectiveness as the rabbits developed resistance. Other methods, such as poison and fumigation, have also been employed to varying degrees of success.
The high breeding rate of rabbits and their ability to adapt to the Australian environment have made them extremely challenging to control. Continuous and integrated rabbit management actions are necessary to prevent further damage to Australia's agriculture and conservation efforts.
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The eradication of native predators
Quolls, for instance, were native carnivorous marsupials that predated upon rabbits. Historical accounts indicate that prior to 1870, quolls were effective in impeding the establishment of rabbit colonies on the Australian mainland. However, the colonists intentionally eradicated quolls to protect introduced species such as chickens. This removal of native predators allowed the rabbit population to thrive unchecked.
The absence of natural predators gave rabbits a competitive advantage over native species. Rabbits are known for their rapid breeding, with the ability to produce more than four litters a year, each containing up to five kits (baby rabbits). Without predators to keep their numbers in control, rabbit populations exploded, leading to devastating consequences for indigenous flora and fauna.
The impact of this eradication was further exacerbated by the introduction of novel rabbit genotypes. Thomas Austin, a settler, released wild rabbits in 1859, which may have possessed genetic traits better adapted to the Australian environment. This release triggered a biological invasion, allowing rabbits to spread rapidly across the continent.
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The release of the myxoma virus
The myxoma virus was first introduced to Australia as a biocontrol agent to curb the burgeoning rabbit population in 1950. This release followed a series of laboratory experiments and field trials that began in the 1930s.
The idea to use the myxoma virus as a form of pest control was initially proposed by Brazilian virologist Aragao in 1919. However, the suggestion was not acted upon until the 1930s, when laboratory tests were conducted in England and Australia. These early trials failed to demonstrate the virus' effectiveness in controlling rabbit populations, as it did not spread well between warrens.
In the late 1940s, following a period of reduced culling during World War II, Australia experienced a massive rabbit plague that caused significant damage to crops. This prompted the resumption of myxoma virus trials in 1950, which showed that the virus spread more effectively in wetter climates through insect vectors like mosquitoes and bushflies.
However, the success of the myxoma virus in controlling rabbit numbers was short-lived. Over time, the rabbit population developed growing genetic resistance to the virus, allowing their numbers to recover to 200-300 million by 1991. This coevolution of the virus and its host has become a well-documented example of the host-pathogen arms race, with the virus becoming more lethal as rabbit resistance increased.
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Frequently asked questions
The recent population spike of rabbits in Australia is caused by the growing genetic resistance of rabbits to the myxoma virus, which was introduced in 1950 to control the rabbit population.
The myxoma virus leads to myxomatosis, a disease that only kills rabbits. The virus was discovered in a laboratory in Uruguay in 1896 and was transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is another rabbit-specific pathogen that was introduced in 1995. Other methods include poisoning with sodium fluoroacetate, carbon monoxide, and phosphine.
