2001 September 24. Rabbit Flat Roadhouse.
Soon after rabbits and foxes were introduced to Australia in the mid 1800s, it became apparent that a terrible mistake had been made. By the time the spread of rabbits became uncontrollable, European settlement had not yet had the time to have a great direct impact on the remoter parts of the country. Rabbits, however, rapidly spread into areas which cattle stations had not yet pioneered, and had a devastating impact on the landscape, and on native animals and vegetation.
In just a few years, a major contributor to desertification had established itself, seemingly irreversibly. A dismally small proportion of the original biodiversity remains. Rodents are self-destructive in that they will breed in times of plenty, and eat everything until not only other species suffer, but the land they destroy can no longer support them, and they die from starvation.
Rabbits also compete with farm animals, especially sheep, for grazing land. Large numbers of rabbits in an area will cause an increase in the number of foxes, cats, and dingoes – all of which prey upon them. When the rabbits are all eaten, or have exhausted their food supply and starved, dingoes will hunt sheep, foxes will hunt poultry, and cats will hunt native birds and marsupials.
All across the country, farmers work alongside local Landcare/Catchment Management Authorities running rodent eradication programs. These are subsidised by the government, and include:
* 1080 Poisoning: Livestock are mustered and removed from area, and poisoned carrot is laid as bait.
* Warren ripping: Bulldozers are used to demolish burrows, and rabbits are shot as they escape the destruction.
* Hunting: Shooters are encouraged to hunt pest animals on private property with the permission of the landowners. This method has been successful in the past with water buffalo in the Top End.
* Re-vegetation: Tree planting to counteract erosion is carried out within rabbit-proof fencing.
* Biological means: ‘Mixa’ and the more recent Calicivirus are diseases which are specific to European grey rabbits, and have been developed and released to try to reduce the numbers of feral animals, and to control the spread.
Suggested learning activities: find out what programs are used in agricultural areas in your country for the control / management of any of the following:
* Feral animals
* Salinity
* Erosion
* Overuse of land.
* Reintroduction of native species.
Why do you think it’s important for neighbouring landowners to work together on these projects?
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