Why the war on rabbits?
Why are rabbits the enemy?
What about foxes and feral cats?
What do rabbits do that we don't like?
What do rabbits cost us?
What does it cost to control rabbits?
From https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/rabbit
“Native to Europe, rabbits were brought to Australia by the First Fleet as food animals, with the first feral rabbit populations recorded by the late 1820s. Later releases of rabbits for sport hunting dramatically increased the size of the feral rabbit population. Today, rabbits are one of Australia's major agricultural and environmental pests, costing approximately $200 million annually. Rabbits eat pasture and crops, compete with native animals, cause soil erosion, and prevent regeneration of native vegetation.”
From https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-animals/priority-pest-animals/european-rabbit
“The impact of rabbits on the Australian environment has been disastrous. At present, there are at least 304 Australian threatened fauna and flora species that are adversely affected by competition and land degradation by rabbits. Consequently, rabbits have been listed as a key threatening process to threatened species conservation under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Rabbits selectively feed on certain species of plants at critical stages of development, such as seeding and seedling establishment. This severely affects regeneration and recruitment of vegetation communities and can cause soil erosion. It may replace native species with noxious or unpalatable weed species. Ecological changes associated with high rabbit numbers have been blamed for the disappearance of the greater bilby Macrotis lagotis and the pig-footed bandicoot Chaeropus ecaudatus, as well as putting many other species under stress.“
and
“It has been estimated that rabbits cost Australian agriculture over $200 million in lost production every year. In Victoria and Tasmania alone, it’s estimated that rabbits cost $30 million in lost production for the beef, lamb and wool industries per year.
Rabbits graze more closely to the ground than domestic stock, weakening perennial grasses during summer and potentially eliminating them from established pastures. The pasture is then likely to be invaded by broadleaf weeds and annual grasses, making it less suitable for livestock production
Rabbits also affect revegetation projects when they feed on newly planted vegetation. Even low numbers of rabbits can have a devastating effect on tree-planting programs or intensive horticultural operations. Rabbits also cause damage to grain crops and have significantly reduced crop yields in some areas.“
and from https://ssaa.org.au/assets/news-resources/hunting/the-economic-impacts-of-vertebrate-pests-in-australia.pdf
Victoria probably spent $4.8m in 2007 on rabbit eradication -
Andrew Woolnough from VRAN says:
“Established pest animals and weeds are problems that simply will not go away. A new approach to how they are collectively managed is needed. Empowering those impacted by the pests to take action is the key to success.”