A NEW virus will be trialled next year in an effort to curb wild rabbit populations.
The virus, known as RHDV1 K5, will be trialled at 418 sites across Australia in an effort to significantly reduce wild rabbit populations and their negative impact on agricultural production and native ecosystems.
Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce welcomed the 755 expressions of interest received from groups wanting to take part in the national roll-out of the new virus.
Mr Joyce said community organisations, Landcare groups and government land managers would be participating in the national rollout of the virus as part of the Coalition government’s $1.2 million commitment to assist with the research and development of new rabbit control methods.
“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,” Mr Joyce said.
“This built on the massive reductions achieved in the 1950s from the release of the myxoma virus, which killed more than 85pc of Australia’s rabbit population.
“It gave the environment time to regenerate and our farmers a fighting chance to keep rabbits at bay using traditional pest management techniques like baiting and traps.”
Rabbit populations are on the rise again and Member for Calare Andrew Gee said he welcomed the new co-ordinated effort between governments, researchers and communities to address these pests and reduce the cost to farmers and the environment.
“Calare saw a huge expression of interest and 13 sites have been successful around Dubbo, Wellington, Mendooran and Dunedoo,” Mr Gee said.
“Estimates show a conservative knockdown of the rabbit population somewhere between 10 and 40 per cent, dependent on the location and conditions. It’s no silver bullet, but it’s our best option to address resistance to existing RHDV strains”
“For the sites not selected as a part of this roll-out, I encourage you - and everyone - to get involved by downloading the RabbitScan mobile app and contribute to the national data set that will monitor the spread of the virus and the impact on rabbit populations,” Mr Joyce said.