Nineteen sites in western Victoria will next year trial a new virus known as RHDV1 K5 to significantly reduce rabbit populations and their devastating impact on agricultural production and native ecosystems.
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Member for Wannon Dan Tehan welcomed the support from Wannon residents who helped to identify potential trial sites for the release of the virus that scientists and landowners hope will significantly reduce rabbit populations.
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.
It was selected for the national program because it should work better in cool-wet regions of Australia where rabbit populations have demonstrated resistance to the existing RHDV strains.
Mr Tehan said Australia had a good track record when it came 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 Tehan 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,” he said.
“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,” Mr Tehan said.
Areas with high rabbit density were a priority in the site selection process, which aims to provide the best outcomes through a broader spread of the virus.
“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,” Mr Tehan said.
“Rabbits are a real problem in our local community and cause an estimated $206 million in lost national production each year.
Rabbits are a real problem in our local community and cause an estimated $206 million in lost national production each year.
- Dan Tehan
“I ask that 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,” Mr Tehan said. RabbitScan can be downloaded from www.rabbitscan.org.au
