Parks overrun with rabbits

by Courtney O'Brien
Rabbit numbers in local parks and residential streets have been a talking point recently.
Streets, parks, ovals and embankments across local towns have been overrun with the pests, with one local reporting to The Gazette that "many are being killed by cars (and then left in the street)."
They are small, furry and cute. But, they are also the nation's most invasive species, costing the country more than $215 million in lost production every year and bio-controls are becoming increasingly ineffective.
Rabbits inhabit more than 70 per cent of Australia and a single pair can turn into 184 rabbits in just 18 months.
They destroy pasture, crops and plant communities, impacting agriculture and the environment, cause soil erosion and associated sedimentation of waterways.
They compete with and impact about 330 native fauna and flora species for food and habitat and damage or destroy First Nations Peoples' cultural heritage, practices and significant native species.
According to Agriculture Victoria rabbit populations fluctuate, with high rainfall favouring breeding conditions, leading to numbers that were challenging to manage, while in drier times a seasonal reduction in food sources may cause more widespread rabbit activity as they forage further from their warrens.
Baw Baw Shire community infrastructure director James Robinson said each year council generally ran a rabbit control program, targeting various locations across the municipality within roadsides and reserves.
"These programs implement integrated pest control, using multiple methods to reduce rabbit numbers, which aligns with Agriculture Victoria's guidance. Council also works with other government departments regarding rabbit warrens on their corridors," Mr Robinson explained.
"This is an ongoing situation, as any rabbit reduction works outside of council managed land can be difficult to co-ordinate."
A co-ordinated approach between community groups, public land managers, private landholders and government agencies to manage the problem is what state and federal governments have called for, as there is a lack of funding invested into research for further bio-control measures.
"The government has allocated $5 million over four years to support collective action and help communities to build awareness and capability to manage established invasive species," an Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said.
While the Partnerships Against Pests grants program has awarded $3.42 million in grants to community groups such as the Victorian Rabbit Action Network (VRAN), which provides training programs, expertise and support for more effective and sustainable rabbit management, it may not be enough.
According to CSIRO, new bio-controls needed to be developed and implemented every 10 to 15 years to help control populations.
Myxoma virus was released in the 1950s and RHDV1 - previously known as calicivirus was released in 1996, both of which rapidly knocked over 90 per cent of rabbit populations.
Genetic resistance has developed over time and while a new virus, RHDV1 K5 - was released in 2017, it was effective in knocking down only about 34 per cent of rabbit populations and worked more as a biocide, rather than a biocontrol agent, as it generally did not spread beyond the original release site.
In 2015, a rogue virus called RHDV2 was detected in pest rabbits and has spread throughout most of Australia and is currently the dominant strain.
As rabbits develop greater resistance to existing viruses and without active research and release of bio-controls in the future, the number of rabbits could reach exponential levels.
VRAN state on their website that while the pest will never be eradicated, coordinated measures to help control populations include collapsing or fumigating warrens, ferreting, dogging, netting, fencing, baiting, trapping or shooting (with appropriate permits).
Rabbit control resources and training days are available on VRANs website, a rabbit management toolkit is available at PestSmart by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions and locals can request a rabbit control pamphlet from council.