January 16th, 2022Now is the time to target rabbits

Agriculture Victoria and the Victorian Rabbit Action Network is encouraging landowners to get
together with their neighbours to plan a rabbit control program, with summer and early autumn the
best time reduce local rabbit populations.

Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Manager Jason Wishart said the best rabbit control results are
achieved when landowners work together and implement management programs when rabbit
populations are at their lowest.
“With food scarecer over the summer period, there is a natural pause in the breeding cycle, so the
time to act is now,” he said.
Mr Wishart said control techniques such as baiting and ripping also become more effective at this
time year because the rabbits are more likely to eat bait and the soils are more friable and better
for ripping.
“While there are a number of biological control agents in the environment such as myxomatosis
and RHDV (calicivirus), they are not effective for managing rabbit populations on their own,” he
said.
“The most effective programs are those that adopt the ‘rabbit recipe’ which is an integrated
approach using a combination of baiting, ripping and fumigation.
“It is also critical to monitor rabbit numbers before and after your program to confirm that you are
having the desired impact on the rabbit population.”
Rabbits cause considerable damage to agriculture as they consume pasture and various crops and
compete with livestock for feed. This, coupled with their burrowing behaviour, also leads to soil
erosion and other land degradation issues.
Rabbits also have a significant impact on the natural environment through selective grazing,
competition with native species and habitat degradation.
Mr Wishart said effective rabbit management is especially critical at the moment because
populations are predicted to increase as a result of the late browning of vegetation this spring and
summer.
“Research indicates that the late browning of vegetation in spring and summer can result in
increased rabbit populations the following year,” he said.
“With the wetter conditions we are seeing this spring and summer, it is very important to control
rabbits now, so they don’t get a chance to build up.”

Landowners are urged to talk to their neighbours and form community rabbit action groups that can
share the cost of contractors to conduct baiting, ripping and fumigation over multiple properties,
making it more effective.
Chair of the Victorian Rabbit Action Network and farmer from north west Victoria Gerald Leach said
it was essential that communities are motivated and supported to conduct effective rabbit control
programs.
“Rabbits are a serious problem for everyone. They have major impacts on agriculture, the natural
environment, Aboriginal cultural heritage, infrastructure and community assets.
“Undertaking rabbit control with your neighbours is far more effective than working on a single
property, as it provides greater knockdowns and helps slow population recovery,” Mr Leach said.
For more information about best practice rabbit management visit Agriculture Victoria’s website
agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-animals/invasive-animal-management/integrated-rabbitcontrol
or vran.com.au