Rabbits in Australia: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:37, 13 March 2003

Revision as of 22:21, 20 March 2003

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[[Rabbit]]s are the most serious mammal pest in [[Australia]], an [[invasive species]] being responsible for the extinction of about as many native animals as the fox, and causing millions of dollars worth of damage to agriculture each year. They were originally introduced with the [[First Fleet]] in [[1788]], but the major infestation appears to have been due to 24 wild rabbits released by Thomas Austin on his property in 1859, for [[hunting]] purposes.

Rabbits are extremely prolific, and had no true predators to keep numbers down, so they spread rapidly across the southern parts of the Australian continent. Rabbits cause huge damage to agricultural economy. They are also responsible for serious [[erosion]] problems, preventing native plant growth to the point of [[extinction]], threatening [[biodiversity]] on the continent, ruining gardens, and undermining buildings.