The ACT could be looking down the burrow of a rabbit plague
The ACT could be looking down the burrow of a rabbit plague
Rabbits were introduced to Australia during colonisation, with 'plagues' causing widespread environmental, agricultural and economic destruction. Nowadays the pest is controlled using biocontrol, but experts say without funding the population could soon be out of control.
Rabbits are being shot in the area of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra's centre in an effort to keep their population under control.
The program is continuing amid fears rabbit numbers could be growing at a concerning rate.
Previous virus releases, like myxomatosis and calicivirus, have brought rabbit numbers down to historic lows. But experts say a new virus is needed every 10 to 15 years as rabbits build immunity.
Last year I went for a walk at night with my thermal camera. Saw probably 50 rabbits on one playing field. The warren damage in places like Russel is bad.
As long as it keeps raining I'm sure we will have too many of them. Thankfully shooting control is very effective now. Thermal scopes make it very easy.
There's certainly a lot around, it's a real sign of a big population when you start seeing groups of them hopping around in daylight (like they often are around ADFA/Russell). Sometimes I wonder how much of the burrows have ended up under the roads around there - might make for interesting subsidence issues in the future.
The shooting crews are effective, it made a very noticeable difference on City Hill when they went through there a while back (went from eaten down to roots and bark being chewed to the grass growing back). If the local population is developing resistance to the current calicivirus though the government is going to end up hard pressed trying to shoot enough rabbits to keep up with their population growth (unless we end up in drought anyway).