What are the impacts of Rabbits in Australia?
A new report, ‘Fighting plagues and predators: Australia’s path to a pest and weed-free future’, launched by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS) last year, estimates the cost of damage caused by invasive species in Australia — predominantly weeds, feral cats, rabbits and fire ants, is at $390 billion over the past six decades and around $25 billion a year and growing.
Pest, plants and animals (now referred to as invasive species), undermine agriculture, leading to increased food and fibre prices. Over eight in 10 nationally-listed threatened species are endangered by invasive species.
More than 70 percent of Australia’s native animals are found nowhere else on earth, so any impact is a significant loss to Australia and the world.
Let’s not forget our mental health. Feral rabbits cause a huge sense of frustration to communities – they impact places of importance, our assets and our infrastructure.
If these statistics get you motivated, now is the ideal time to start planning your community rabbit management program.
For more information:
- ‘Fighting plagues and predators: Australia’s path to a pest and weed-free future’
https://www.csiro.au/en/research/natural-environment/biodiversity/fighting-plagues-and-predator - Best Practice Rabbit Management (BPRM) Factsheet
https://vran.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/VRAN-Summary-of-Best-Practice-Rabbit-Management-Guide-LR.pdf - Visit Agriculture Victoria
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-animals/invasive-animal-management/integrated-rabbit-control#h2-1 - Keep up to date with the rabbit control calendar
https://bellarinelandcare.org.au/images/BLGRabbit_Control_Calender.pdf
