Island rabbit cull bird deaths

FEWER than 30 of the 150,000 rabbits that once infested Macquarie Island are still alive after a joint state-federal eradication program.

A Senate estimates committee heard yesterday that a $30 million program of baiting, shooting and detector dogs had resulted in the almost complete eradication of rabbits from the World Heritage-listed sub-Antarctic island 1500km south of Hobart.

The rabbits and introduced rats and mice had a devastating effect on wildlife on the island by overgrazing native vegetation, which in turn affected nesting sites.

Their numbers boomed after a cat eradication program on the island.

Liberal senator Eric Abetz said the deaths of 2190 sea birds during the three-year program was a disaster.

"This is a complete debacle which just goes from bad to worse," he said after the hearing.

"The collateral damage seems worse than the problem the Government was seeking to eradicate."

Senator Abetz said the real number of deaths was much higher.

While 2190 bird carcasses had been discovered on Macquarie Island, more had probably died at sea.

Premier Lara Giddings said the rabbit eradication program was necessary to protect the island's bird life.

"Nobody wants to see wildlife hurt or damaged by programs. However, what is Eric Abetz's alternative?' she said.

"Those same birds, the same wildlife, were absolutely threatened by the destruction of the natural habitat on Macquarie Island because of rabbit grazing."

Environment Minister Tony Burke said the bird deaths were inevitable.

"When you do baiting, the fact is you will lose some of the birds you are wanting to protect," he said.

"But if you don't do baiting, feral animals like rabbits and rodents will keep wiping everything out."

Mr Burke said up to 24 bird species ultimately stood to benefit from the eradication program.

From here.

Big rabbit kill, but warnings remain

The rabbit-killing virus RHD has this year in Otago taken its biggest toll on the animal in at least five years.

Its effectiveness during the past summer has puzzled the industry because the Otago Regional Council's two-yearly tests for the disease's presence in Otago show high levels of immunity to the virus.

Test results show the average immunity across the 10 sites was 68%, similar to 2009 levels, council regional services technical field adviser Don Robson says in a report to be presented to its regulatory committee tomorrow.

"Interpreting this year's serum results has been difficult, with most monitoring sites showing high immunity levels, yet the virus has been the most effective and widespread for many years."

The virus displayed its greatest activity in the Alexandra basin, Ida Valley, Upper Clutha and Strath Taieri.

"In fact, most of Otago appears to have received the benefits of good kills from the virus."

As well as good death rates, observations showed deaths due to the virus continued to occur longer than normal, which meant the antibodies were still present during testing - unlike in other years.

"This observation clearly indicates high immunity levels do not necessarily mean the virus is no longer effective.""Exceptional" conditions in Central Otago had seen grass growth throughout most of summer because of frequent rain, which meant more young rabbits survived, he said. It also meant more flies, which were thought to be an important vector of the virus.

Full article here.

Wildlife refuge no more for pests

Helicopters have worked through sub-Antarctic winter weather to twice saturate the 13,000-hectare wildlife refuge with poison baits targeted at rabbits, rats and mice. Now dogs are mopping up remnants.

The $25 million federal-state project had to overcome setbacks including abandonment of its first round of bait-laying flights last winter, and the unintended poisoning of hundreds of seabirds. Now rewards are flowing as grasses and other flora sprout through the cold.

Read more here.

Deadly Rabbit Disease May Have Doomed Iberian Lynx

The 1988 arrival of viral hemorrhagic disease (VHD) in Spain devastated that country's European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) population and, in the process, possibly doomed the local species most adapted to hunt rabbit, the Iberian lynx(Lynx pardinus).

The wildcat is now critically endangered, with an estimated 100 to 200 animals remaining in the wild. That makes them the world's most endangered feline species. The species numbered 4,000 animals in 1960.

One of the few areas where Iberian lynx still reside is Spain's Doñana National Park. According to research published in the March 2011 issue of Basic and Applied Ecology, the lynx was the only predator in the park not able to adapt to eating other prey when the rabbit population crashed.


Read full article.

Rabbits hop on to the menu on Melbourne's top restaurants

GOURMANDS are gnawing their way through Victoria's thriving rabbit population as city restaurants carve up thousands of the fluffy pests every week.

Rabbit suppliers are struggling to meet demand from Melbourne's top chefs turning humble underground mutton into top-dollar dishes.

As lamb and beef prices skyrocket and diners become more adventurous with game meats, rabbit is suddenly hot property at less than $10/kg.

And there's no shortage of wild bunnies in country Victoria. Hunters say the population has doubled since last year.

Maybe it comes down to Chinese astrology - 2011 is the year of the white rabbit.

But Peter "Rabbit" Golden says it all comes down to good rain, mild weather and loads of feed. It was a good week for the central Victorian hunter, who nabbed 3000 wild rabbits.

"There was a time when rabbit was poor man's tucker, but not any more," he said. "People can't get enough of them, but then lamb's pretty dear."

Read more.

Baiting Complete for Macquarie Island Pest Eradication

“It is fantastic to see that this first stage is now complete and that our efforts to restore Macquarie Island to an ecosystem free of introduced pests is well underway.”

 

The number of non-target species impacted by baiting has been minimised, with a total of 855 birds affected to date.  The introduction of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus on the island earlier this year drastically cut rabbit numbers which resulted in fewer carcasses on the ground and a reduction in secondary poisoning among non-target species.

 

Another key factor in reducing non-target species mortality has been an increased effort by specially dedicated ground crews collecting and burying poisoned carcasses after baiting.

 

Mr Wightman said that while the impact on non-target species was unfortunate, if the pests continued to cause damage it was likely that some seabirds and unique plant species would no longer exist on the island.

 

“This short-term impact will be balanced out by the long-term protection to the island’s ecosystems achieved through the pest eradication.”

 

The team involved in the baiting operation is expected to return to Hobart in late July.

 

Twelve trained hunting dogs are already on the island ready to begin the next phase of the operation, hunting down the rabbits that survived the baiting project.  Hunters will work with the dogs and their handlers to dispatch any rabbits found. This is expected to take up to five years.

Read full article here.

Hostilities resumed in Wyndham's rabbit war

ALTHOUGH floods and mosquitoes have helped keep rabbit numbers down in Wyndham recently, seasonal baiting has begun.

Wyndham Council’s autumn rabbit-control program is in full swing with dog owners advised not to walk their dogs in some areas for the next month.

Baits of chopped carrot, treated with the poison, pindone, are being laid by a licensed contractor in Point Cook, Werribee, Werribee South and Mt Cottrell.

Vitamin K1 is the antidote for pindone, an anti-coagulant poison available from local vets notified of the baiting.

The council has warned residents not to handle carrot pieces or rabbits found in baited areas.

Warning signs were to be placed at all reserve entrances.

Council chief executive officer Kerry Thompson said rabbit populations had fallen in Wyndham due to recent floods and the subsequent increase in mosquitoes, which transmit myxomatosis - lethal to rabbits.

But the council was still required under state legislation to keep rabbit populations under control, she said, hence the continuation of the council’s rabbit eradication program.

“If not controlled, a single pair of rabbits can breed to more than 184 individuals in just 18 months,” she said.

Areas being baited until this Friday are the northern side of Skeleton Creek, between Boardwalk Blvd and Palmers Rd, and Alamanda Wetland Reserve, Point Cook; both sides of the Werribee River from Chirnside Park to the Maltby Bypass, Werribee; Grahams Reserve and K Rd Cliffs, Werribee South; and Cobbledicks Reserve, Mt Cottrell.

For more information, go to wyndham.vic.gov.au

Sourced from Wyndham Leader.

Peter Rabbit on the hunt

VETERAN rabbit shooter Peter Golden says the lure of the bunny gets in your blood and just won't go away, writes SARAH HUDSON

They call him Peter Rabbit.

And not because he bears any resemblance to the children's book character.

While his parents may have christened him Peter Golden, to the folk around central Victoria he's simply Peter Rabbit.

What else do you call one of the state's oldest continual rabbit shooters, one who targets wild rabbits that are on-sold to markets and high-end restaurants?

"They think I come out of a Noddy book or something," Peter says.

"Bob Hart (Herald Sun food critic) came up to the Redesdale Hotel and had rabbit pie. He wrote that the local game supplier was Peter Rabbit.

"It's just stuck. Everyone knows me as that now."

Given he's been in the trade for 35 years, Peter's pedigree is a substantial one, having seen major changes in the industry, not least the demand for the product itself.

"Rabbits aren't a poor-man's tucker any more. Restaurants are lapping them up and I'd have no trouble selling more," he says.

Read full story here.

Macquarie Island Cull- Waste of taxpayers $$

“At Senate Estimates today its been revealed that of 305 tonnes of rabbit bait, purchased by Labor at for more than a million dollars and dumped on Macquarie Island, 210 tonnes has been spoilt.”


“As a result, another three quarters of million dollars of taxpayers’ money has been wasted.”


“Tragically it’s also been revealed that rabbit baiting on the Macquarie Island has also led to the deaths of more than 900 seabirds. The actual figure is expected to be much higher.”


Quoted from here.

Carrots the poison chalice for pesky Bonbeach rabbits

POISONED carrots will be used to cull feral rabbits wreaking havoc along fragile Bonbeach foreshore.

Wet conditions have created the perfect breeding ground for bunnies and the increased numbers are taking their toll on the sensitive dunes from The Glade to Patterson River.

Kingston Mayor Ron Brownlees said rabbits were a serious pest, causing erosion, spreading weeds and threatening plant diversity.

“Rabbit warrens cause the ground to become unstable and increase erosion, while the rabbits compete with native animals, such as possums and reptiles, for food and habitat,” Cr Brownlees said.

“Furthermore, rabbits attract foxes and they pose an even greater threat to native wildlife.”

Contractors will lay baited carrots and fumigate warrens over the next two months.

Cr Brownlees said domestic animals would need to consume large quantities to cause illness, but recommended owners keep pets off the foreshore for the next month.

“This is the safest, industry-best practice approach,” he said.

“The bait is slow-acting, so owners will have sufficient time to treat pets that did display signs of poisoning.”

Sourced from here.