- Seven sites across the Northern Rivers will participate in the release of a new variant of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus – RHDV1 K5.
- It’s been 20 years since the last rabbit biocontrol was released in Australia.
- A RabbitScan mobile app is now available to enable people to contribute to the national data set
Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said a new virus known as RHDV1 K5 will be trialled next year at seven sites across the Northern Rivers in an effort to significantly reduce rabbit populations and their devastating impact on agricultural production and native ecosystems.
Mr Hogan welcomed the support from local residents who helped to identify potential trial sites for next year’s release of the virus that scientists and landowners hope will significantly reduce rabbit populations.
“Australia has a good track record when it comes to the biological control of rabbits. When we first released rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus in 1995, populations had multiplied to around 600 million, and we managed to reduce this by 98 per cent in arid areas,” he said.
“This built on the massive reductions achieved in the 1950s from the release of the myxoma virus, which killed more than 85 per cent of Australia’s rabbit population.
“Rabbit populations are on the rise again, however, and a coordinated effort is needed from all levels of government working with researchers, industry and local communities to address this pest problem.
“The release of RHDV1 K5 is part of the Australian Government’s $1.2 million commitment to assist in the research and development of new rabbit controls.”
Areas with high rabbit density were a priority in the site selection process, which aims to achieve maximum coverage and provide the best outcomes through a broader spread of the virus.
Mr Hogan said it was unfortunate Australia had such a large rabbit problem, but welcomed the announcement that sites in the Northern Rivers had been selected as part of the national program to protect local industry from these types of pests.
“RHDV1 K5 won’t kill every pest rabbit, but it is the best option to address population resistance to existing RHDV strains and tackle this pest problem on a national scale,” he said.
“Rabbits are real problem in our local community and cause an estimated $206 million in lost national production each year.
“I ask that local residents remain vigilant by reporting pest sightings to authorities and by recording and mapping rabbit activity in their area using the RabbitScan mobile app, which will be used to monitor the effectiveness of control measures.”
Information entered in the app will provide essential data to land managers undertaking follow up controls once the RHDV1 K5 virus has been released.
RabbitScan can be downloaded from www.rabbitscan.org.au
For more details about the RHD-Boost project, visit the Invasive Animals CRC website www.invasiveanimals.com
Fast facts
- Rabbits cause an estimated $206 million in losses each year to the agricultural industry.
- It’s been 20 years since the last rabbit biocontrol was released in Australia.
- The RHDV1 K5 is a naturally occurring Korean variant of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus currently found in Australia.
- RHDV1 K5 is estimated to have a conservative knockdown average of 10 and 15 per cent of the wild rabbit population in Australia, and up to 40 per cent in cool-wet areas.
- RHDV1 K5 was selected for the national programme to boost rabbit biocontrol on the basis that it should work better in cool-wet regions of Australia where rabbit populations have demonstrated resistance to the existing RHDV strains.
- A vaccine to protect domestic rabbits against RHDV1 has been available in Australia since 1996 and studies demonstrate effective immunity against the RHDV1 K5 variant.
Note: Figures and statistics comes from
- knockdown average of 10-15%
http://www.pestsmart.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/RabbitRHDVK5_infopack_web-21-6-16.pdf
