Biosecurity Tas secures new batch of calicivirus

By
Tasmanian Country
23 Nov 2024
Rabbit

Pic: Lynn Broos

THE wait for calicivirus to control high rabbit populations across the State is nearly over.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett, said a new batch of calicivirus to control rabbits is likely to be released by Biosecurity Tasmania in Autumn.

Calicivirus, or rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), is a virus that typically causes a rapidly fatal disease in European rabbits.

“The Tasmanian Government recognises the impacts introduced pest species, like rabbits, have on the natural environment and the effect that the national shortage of calicivirus has had on Tasmania,” Minister Howlett said.

“Biosecurity Tasmania uses calicivirus to help manage wild rabbit populations, with calicivirus releases usually occurring during autumn when environmental conditions are favourable to ensure its effective use.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania has been able to secure a supply of calicivirus and Biosecurity Tasmania will now monitor conditions for a suitable time to release, however, it is unlikely that calicivirus releases can occur until autumn.”

Minister Howlett said that there are a variety of management options for landowners who are responsible for the control of rabbits on their land.

Biosecurity Tasmania staff are available to work directly with farmers and the wider community to support their control of increased rabbit populations and to provide advice on alternative rabbit control strategies until calicivirus releases can be made.

More information is available on the NRE Tas website: www.nre.tas.gov.au/rabbits

Landowners can also contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3777 or email invasivespecies@nre.tas.gov.au​.

Add new comment

About text formats

Plain text

  • Allowed HTML tags: <p> <br>
  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

Comments

Rebecca Ovington

What about the impact on our pet rabbits not fair to rabbit owners

Ian

What about the damage from burrows and feral rabbits?

As for your rabbit, talk to your vet. One of the costs of pet ownership.

In reply to by Rebecca Ovington
Tania

It’s a discusting way to kill an animal they suffer no end it needs to be stopped

Viv

Watching a horse break its leg in a rabbits burrow isn’t good either. Seeing our natural habitat disappear over the years due to lack of food is also upsetting. Sadly the rabbits are now vermin eating everything and destroying land due to over breeding. They are a huge environmental problem that seriously needs to be controlled. There’s no fairytale ending, the rabbits have to go.

In reply to by Tania
Sarah-Jane Fox

No one is saying that they shouldn’t be eradicated but surely in this day and age there can be more humane ways to do it. Why is there no virus being developed that can interrupt the breeding cycle. This virus is disgustingly barbaric.

In reply to by Viv
Margaret Allan

Come and see the distruction on my property, you might change your mind.

In reply to by Tania
Joe

Very welcome news!
Overrun with destructive mindless rabbits up here in the Northwest.
We are at our wits end trying to maintain fencing to grow produce, and our neighbors own home has been undermined by them.
The wider state economic ill effects of these pests are no doubt enormou$.

Marion

Please please please get more vaccines available for pet rabbits. There are multiple virus types and only one vaccine available in Aus. It is unfair for pet owners to not be able provide ways to protect their pets. Pet rabbits are just as important as cats and dogs.

deborah

I sure do hope they bring it to the west coast as we’re being over run by the vermin

Matt

Anyone that thinks this is an acceptable way to control Rabbit population deserves to bleed from their insides out, think about the pets and their owners.

Kathryn Goodwin

You bloody idiots.. dead rabbits poisoned become feed for devils and other animals ..have you done any research on how many die because of you idiots.

Sarah Jayne Taylor

This is an unbelievably cruel disease to witness in action. I lost 13 of my pet bunnies 3 years ago after a release and it has had a major ongoing impact on my mental health and anxiety. I don't understand how this is logical when our pets are also being murdered. If these same barbaric measures were taken to irradiate the wild cat population, cat owners would never allow it! Bring back shooting wild rabbits as the 'norm' and get them back in stews and on dinner plates! Then our beloved pets can remain safe from released diseases. 2 'birds' with 1 stone as such. Cost of living has meat prices through the roof. It just makes sense. Releasing deadly diseases into nature does not.

David Robinson

I hope they are referring to now, not Autumn 2025! I'm on 5 acres and fenced but still estimate a population of 20 - 30. My neighbour (without rabbit proof fencing) has hundreds. If only it would fix the feral cats as well!

Helen

Very upsetting, such a horrible way for them to
die.

Angela

Please bring to North west Tassie never seen so many....they are everywhere bass highway covered at night early morning with them

Margaret Allan

What measures can I take in the meantime, my property is being destroyed by rabbits as they multiply.

Helen Lee

They are everywhere in Exeter and on our property they need to be removed

frank amicosante

do it.
please.

Meredith

Every unfenced property has an easy 60 to 70 rabbits. They are everywhere, they are so destructive. They have to go. Obviously we can't have people shooting them, wouldn't even make a dent in the current numbers.

Jeff

I run a ferreting an vermin controll business in nsw what I’ve seen in nsw due to the virus is disappointing not only seeing rabbits but other animals domestic animals wild suffering from this virus not to mention the carcasses which are laying around, there are more procedures that we should take in place before letting out this virus