...damage

 Native plants & animals   Agriculture   Foxes

There are many ways to control rabbit numbers and they have not been seen in plague proportions since the introduction of modern control methods like myxomatosis. However, they are still the number one vertebrate pest in Australia.

In Western Australia, populations of rabbits occur mainly in the coastal heath and sandy habitat. They compete directly with native animals for food and shelter and this has contributed to the extinction of some native species. Rabbits destroy large numbers of native plants and trees, eating seedlings and damaging established plants by stripping them of leaves, bark and even roots.

Rabbits also continue to have a considerable impact on agriculture, causing losses of more than $600 million every year through crop and pasture damage.

A collaboration between Irwin District Historical Society and Australian Museums and Galleries Online.

           

Thanks to the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia for their generous assistance.

August 2002