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New program has rabbits on the hop
Landowners across the Burnett Mary region have joined a national challenge to
record data about rabbits and the damage they cause.
With the declining effectiveness of the biological control agent calicivirus,
the Rabbitscan program is the latest phase of the 150 year old war against rabbits.
Weeds and pests co-ordinator with the Burnett Mary Regional Group, Nora Brandli,
said the program was intended to create a map of rabbit distribution from at least
5,000 sites across Australia.
“Rabbit numbers are increasing but their populations and locations are not yet
fully
understood. This will provide information about the distribution and abundance
of rabbits in the Burnett Mary region and help determine future control options,”
Ms Brandli said.
Rabbits are considered a terrible pest in Australia because of the damage they
cause to
native vegetation and agricultural resources in rural, costal and urban areas.
“They were introduced to Australia 150 years ago and since then have done major
agricultural and environmental damage,” said Ms Brandli.
“They eat crop pasture, spread weeds, harm biodiversity, and can even undermine
buildings with their warrens.”
Sightings of rabbits have already been reported across the region, with high
densities near Gin Gin, Miriam Vale, Eidsvold, Murgon, Kingaroy and Blackbutt.
The RabbitScan challenge is an initiative of the Rabbit Management Advisory Group
and the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre
To register rabbit activity, log on to the RabbitScan website at www.rabbitscan.net.au
and receive a guide on how to find and map local rabbit threats, using Google
Maps technology.
People can also report rabbit sightings via SMS. Send a text message with your
name, phone number, location, date and number of rabbits seen to 0421 690 892.
A rabbit near Kingaroy that has been reported to Rabbitscan
Photo: Carl Moller
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