Damon Mcknight
Australian bunnies, or European wild rabbits, have become a serious pest in Australia since they were introduced by European colonists in the 18th century. They are now found across the continent and on several offshore islands, despite attempts to control their population with fences, viruses, and poison. With their ability to breed rapidly, adapt to the environment, and cause damage to crops, they have become a costly problem for the Australian economy and environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Introduced to Australia | 1788 or 1800s |
| Introduced By | European Colonists |
| Species Name | Oryctolagus cuniculus |
| Common Name | European Wild Rabbit |
| Physical Characteristics | Long ears, long hind legs, short fluffy tail, large straight claws |
| Weight | 1-2.25 kg |
| Length | 35-45 cm |
| Colour | Grey-brown back fur, white-grey belly, sandy light brown, ginger, black, white |
| Habitat | Urban and coastal areas with low vegetation, well-drained deep sandy soils, scrub, blackberries, fallen logs |
| Population | 200 million |
| Areas Affected | Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania |
| Control Measures | Rabbit-proof fences, poison, virus and bacteria release, warren destruction, fumigation, bounty systems, trapping |
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What You'll Learn
European rabbits were introduced to Australia in the 18th century
European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were introduced to Australia in the 18th century. They arrived with the First Fleet, brought by Europeans as a source of food. The rabbits were released onto many islands in the Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea to provide sustenance for shipwrecked sailors.
In 1859, Thomas Austin, a landowner in Winchelsea, Victoria, imported 24 wild rabbits from England and released them into the wild for sport hunting. Within a few years, these 24 rabbits multiplied into millions. By the 1920s, less than 70 years after their introduction, the rabbit population in Australia had ballooned to an estimated 10 billion, reproducing at a rate of 18 to 30 per female rabbit per year.
The rapid spread of the rabbit population in Australia can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the mild winters in Australia allowed rabbits to breed year-round. Secondly, the widespread farming practices created vast areas of low vegetation, providing ideal habitats for rabbits. Additionally, the rabbits may have benefited from hybrid vigour resulting from the interbreeding of domestic and wild rabbits, making them even better adapted to the Australian environment.
The presence of European rabbits in Australia has had catastrophic consequences for the native wildlife and habitats. Rabbits consume almost any plant matter, leading to overgrazing and the collapse of indigenous plant species. They also compete with native animal species for food and habitat, contributing to the decline of populations such as the greater bilby and the pig-footed bandicoot. The introduction of rabbits has also led to soil erosion and strained the Australian economy, costing over $200 million per year.
To control the rabbit population, various methods have been employed, including shooting, trapping, and destroying their warrens. Rabbit-proof fences were also constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but these attempts proved largely unsuccessful in containing the rabbits. In the 1950s, the government turned to biocontrol methods, releasing the myxoma virus, which causes myxomatosis, specifically targeting rabbits. While initially successful, the rabbits eventually developed immunity, and the virus became ineffective. Scientists then introduced the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in the 1980s, which is transmitted by flies and can kill rabbits within 48 hours. However, the search for more effective solutions to control the rabbit population in Australia continues.
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Rabbits are an invasive species in Australia
The rapid reproduction and proliferation of rabbits in Australia have led to several negative consequences. Firstly, they compete with native plant and animal species for resources, leading to overgrazing and the decline of indigenous plants and animals. This overgrazing also contributes to soil erosion, which negatively affects pasture yields and water quality. The introduction of rabbits has been so detrimental that they are listed as a "'threatening process' under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Australia's primary environmental legislation.
In an attempt to curb the rabbit population, various methods have been employed since the 19th century, including shooting, trapping, and destroying their warrens (an underground network of tunnels). One notable effort was the construction of rabbit-proof fences in Western Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales. However, these fences were largely unsuccessful due to constant deterioration and the rabbits' ability to burrow underground.
With the rise in rabbit numbers, Australia turned to biocontrol measures in the 1950s. The government released rabbits infected with the myxoma virus, which causes myxomatosis, specifically targeting rabbit populations. While this initially reduced rabbit numbers, they eventually developed immunity, and their populations rebounded. In 1995, the calicivirus (RHDV) was accidentally released and, in 1996, was officially introduced to control rabbit numbers, proving effective in dry regions. However, rabbits in cooler, wetter regions have shown immunity due to the presence of a benign calicivirus that immunizes them.
The impact of rabbits on Australia's environment and economy has been significant, with rabbits costing the country an estimated $200 million annually. They are extremely adaptive and disruptive to the local environment, and experts continue to search for effective solutions to control their populations and prevent further damage to Australia's unique habitats.
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Rabbits have a detrimental impact on the Australian economy
European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were introduced to Australia in the 18th century and have since become a serious mammalian pest and invasive species. The spread of the rabbit in Australia was the fastest of any colonising mammal in the world. Rabbits are present in most Australian environments, from sub-alpine regions to deserts, but are absent from northern Australia and central western Queensland. They can survive on almost any plant matter, including shoots, herbs, grasses, grains, and leaf buds. This has led to overgrazing, which can cause the collapse of indigenous plants and the native animal species that depend on them for food.
The rabbit population in Australia has had a detrimental impact on the economy, costing more than $200 million per year. The European rabbit is considered to be Australia's most damaging vertebrate pest, causing economic loss in agricultural systems by reducing production and imposing control costs on producers and governments. Rabbits impose annual costs on wool producers in temperate pasture areas of between 7.1 and 38.7 million Australian dollars (mA$), depending on their density.
Various methods have been attempted to control the Australian rabbit population, including shooting rabbits, destroying their warrens, and building rabbit-proof fences. While the myxoma virus, which causes myxomatosis, was introduced in the 1950s and initially reduced the rabbit population, rabbits eventually developed immunity to it. The Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV), another rabbit-specific pathogen, was introduced in the 1990s and lowered rabbit numbers by up to 90% in dry areas. However, rabbits have also developed some resistance to this virus, and their numbers are on the rise again in Australia.
The impact of rabbits on the Australian economy and environment has been significant, and experts continue to work on controlling their numbers to prevent further damage.
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Rabbits are found in a variety of habitats in Australia
Rabbits are an invasive species in Australia, causing immense ecological damage to the continent. They were first introduced to Australia in the 18th century and have since spread to a variety of habitats. Rabbits are physically stressed by heat and humidity, thriving in places with a mean annual temperature above 10°C and a mean warmest monthly temperature of 25°C or less. They can survive on almost any plant matter and typically get all the water they need from the plants they eat, except during droughts when they require additional water sources.
Rabbits are generalist herbivores, meaning they can adapt to a wide range of habitats and diets. They inhabit approximately 5.3 million square kilometres or 70% of southern Australia, including subalpine areas, stony deserts, subtropical grasslands, and wet coastal plains. Rabbit densities are typically highest in areas with ample rainfall and mild winters, creating good growing conditions for their food sources.
The spread of rabbits in Australia has been rapid, with their populations expanding across two-thirds of the continent within 70 years of their introduction. This rate of colonisation is the fastest recorded for any mammal anywhere in the world. The mild winters of Australia allowed rabbits to breed year-round, and the widespread conversion of land for farming created vast areas of low vegetation, providing ideal habitats for rabbits.
The introduction of rabbits has had a detrimental impact on native wildlife, competing for food and habitat. They have been implicated in the decline of various native animal species, such as the greater bilby and the pig-footed bandicoot, and the destruction of plant species like the eremophila plant and certain tree species. Rabbits feed on seedlings, preventing trees from reproducing and leading to local extinctions. Their rapid reproduction and consumption of cropland have also contributed significantly to soil erosion and economic costs for the country.
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Population control methods for rabbits in Australia
Rabbits were first introduced to Australia in the 18th century and have since become a serious mammalian pest and invasive species, causing millions of dollars' worth of damage to crops. Their spread was likely enhanced by the emergence of strong crossbreeds, ideal habitat conditions, and the disappearance of native predators.
- Fencing: The first extensive fences were built in central New South Wales in the late 19th century, and this method of population control became increasingly popular. For example, in 1893, a rabbit-proof fence was built in Queensland, and from 1901 to 1907, a similar fence was constructed in Western Australia. However, these fences were largely ineffective in containing the rabbits due to constant deterioration and the rabbits' ability to burrow underground.
- Trapping and Shooting: These are conventional methods that have been used to control rabbit populations. While shooting can be effective for small-scale control and providing food, it is inadequate for large-scale eradication.
- Warren Destruction: Warrens are underground networks of tunnels where rabbits breed and raise their young. Destroying these structures through methods like ripping (using bulldozers or tractors with sharp tines), ploughing, blasting, and fumigation is a widely used technique, especially on large farms.
- Biological Control: The Australian government has released viruses and bacteria specific to rabbits, such as the myxoma virus in the 1950s, which caused myxomatosis, and the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in the 1990s. These releases aimed to reduce rabbit numbers, but rabbits eventually developed immunity to these diseases.
- Poisoning: This method aims to remove 90% or more of the rabbit population to prevent rapid recovery. Poison baits, such as carrots laced with sodium fluoroacetate ("1080") or pindone, are laid out to achieve this goal. Poisoning is cost-effective and widely used, but it carries risks like fire hazards and toxicity to humans.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian bunnies, or European wild rabbits, are found across the continent of Australia and on several offshore islands. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including urban and coastal areas, and prefer low vegetation, deep sandy soils, and scrubland for refuge.
European wild rabbits were introduced to Australia by European colonists in the 18th century, arriving with the First Fleet in 1788.
Australian bunnies were initially brought to Australia as a source of food and for hunting. Thomas Austin is often credited with their widespread introduction, as he released them on his property, Barwon Park, and they quickly spread across the southern parts of the country.
Australian bunnies have had a devastating impact on the indigenous flora and fauna of Australia. They are considered a serious pest and invasive species, causing millions of dollars' worth of damage to crops and the agriculture industry. Their rapid reproduction and grazing habits have led to overgrazing, soil erosion, and the decline of native plant and animal species.
Controlling the Australian bunny population has been a challenge, and various methods have been attempted over the years, including shooting, trapping, warren destruction, fencing, and introducing viruses and poison. While some methods have had limited success, the bunnies' ability to adapt and develop immunities has made them resilient.
