They breed like rabbits..., Rabbit dilemma in Australia. Options

[xKatt]

Introduction

I was watching a special on Discovery Channel about a huge rabbit problem in Australia. I noticed that a majority of the topics in debate center around America. However, there are other problems in the world that need to be recognized.

You may have heard the phrase 'breed like rabbits', but you may or may not know the implications of it. Normally, we think of rabbits as cute and cuddly creatures, but they are actually a pest that is slowly destroying the Australian ecosystem.



Approximately 1/8 of Australia's native species are extinct because of rabbits.



How can rabbits affect the economy?

Rabbits eat seedlings, grass, any plant they can get their paws on. Rabbits live together in herds that live in linked burrows called warrens and there can be as many as 1000 rabbits in one warren.

A pasture that may look like this



can be turned into this



These changes in landscape can severely damage industries in agriculture and herding because crops will not be able to grow and cattle or sheep not able to graze.

How did rabbits get into Australia?

Rabbits were introduced by Europeans who settled in Australia in 1788. 24 rabbits were brought for hunting. It all started with 24 rabbits and now there are over 300 million.

How did foxes come into the picture?

Foxes have been introduced into Australia to help keep the rabbit population down. In 1850, Europeans brought foxes with them and the fox population has also increased to approximately 7.2 million. Both animals pose a threat to Australia's native wildlife.

How can rabbits drive other animals into extinction?

As previously stated, foxes have been released in several parts of Australia to keep the rabbit population at bay. Normally, foxes prey on rabbits in their natural habitats outside of Australia, but because there are animal species in Australia that are slower and less adapted (such as bandicoots and wombats) foxes tend to target those animals instead.

What measures have been taken against rabbit overpopulation?

- shooting
- destroying warrens through ripping, ploughing, blasting and fumigating
- poisoning
- traps

Releasing rabbit-borne diseases has proven somewhat successful in controlling the population of rabbits in Australia. In 1950, Myxomatosis was deliberately released into the rabbit population which caused the rabbit population to drop from an estimated 600 million to around 100 million. Genetic resistance in the remaining rabbits allowed the population to recover to 200-300 million by 1991.

Also...

The rabbit-proof fence was built in Western Australia, between Cape Kerundun and Esperance to try to control the rabbit population. European rabbits can both jump very high and burrow underground. Even assuming a perfectly intact fence stretching for hundreds of miles, and assuming that ranchers or farmers do not leave gates open for livestock or machinery, it was unlikely to be a success.

What animals have been driven to extinction/endagerment?
- Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat: Critically endangered
- Pigfooted Bandicoot: Extinct
- Western Barred Bandicoot: Endangered
- Lake Mackay Hare-Wallaby: Extinct
- Eastern Hare-Wallaby: Extinct
- Toolache Wallaby: Extinct
- Parma Wallaby: Extinct
- Bridled Nail-Tail Wallaby: Endangered
- Crescent Nail-Tail Wallaby: Extinct
- Proserpine Rock-Wallaby: Endangered

and a lot more!!

Question:

What do you suggest should be done to control the rabbit population and why?