Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on ...

5.10 Management <strong>of</strong> rabbits
Rabbit control was first attempted in <strong>the</strong> 1880s in south-eastern Australia (Meyers et
al. 1994). Early methods <strong>of</strong> control included extensive rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fencing, mass
poisoning campaigns <strong>and</strong> rabbit drives. Control was only achieved on some individual
properties through labour intensive efforts including fencing, removal <strong>of</strong> harbour,
manually digging out warrens <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> persistent hunting <strong>of</strong> remnant rabbits (Edwards
& Dobbie 1999). Athough control technology has improved since <strong>the</strong>n, <strong>the</strong> complete
removal <strong>of</strong> rabbits from Australia is still well beyond <strong>the</strong> capacity <strong>of</strong> available
techniques <strong>and</strong> resources. Recently, <strong>the</strong> eradication <strong>of</strong> rabbits from localised, newly
established populations has been accomplished <strong>and</strong> is feasible (McManus 1979,
Martin & Sobey 1983) provided a sufficiently rapid, well-funded <strong>and</strong> persistent
campaign could be mounted. Most rabbit control programs now aim to achieve <strong>the</strong>
long-term suppression <strong>of</strong> rabbit populations, to reduce <strong>the</strong> damage that rabbits cause
to production <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> environment in <strong>the</strong> most cost-efficient manner (Williams et al.
1995).
Fencing
Fences have <strong>of</strong>ten been used to exclude rabbits from an area. Rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fencing
deters immigration <strong>and</strong> is particularly useful where control methods are to be applied
only on one side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fence, or for sequential control operations over large areas.
Long-term exclusion requires <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> wire-netting fences (McKillop & Wilson
1987). Electrified wire-netting fences can be very effective if properly maintained.
Where <strong>the</strong> rabbit’s normal food source is some distance from <strong>the</strong> warren, temporary
electric fencing can be used to prevent access to <strong>the</strong> food <strong>and</strong> to make baiting near
warrens more effective. The entire length <strong>of</strong> fencing, including gates, must always be
maintained in good repair, requiring regular patrols <strong>and</strong> repairs <strong>and</strong> potentially high
ongoing costs (Korn & Hosie 1988, Williams et al. 1995). Breaches <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fence
resulting from burrowing <strong>animals</strong>, fire damage, tree falls stock or rabbits climbing
into <strong>the</strong> exclusion zone will quickly make it ineffective (Williams et al. 1995). The
high cost ($1700 - $3500 per kilometre, Korn & Hosie 1988, Williams et al. 1995)
<strong>and</strong> need for ongoing maintenance generally limits <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> such fences to small
regions <strong>and</strong> those <strong>of</strong> high conservation value. Fencing can be used on perimeters <strong>of</strong>
properties, or internally to protect high-value assets such as tree plantations, or to
contain rabbits in areas where control is difficult. Internal fences may enable a
sequential control program through a property with minimum recolonisation <strong>of</strong>
paddocks already treated. The movements <strong>and</strong> dynamics <strong>of</strong> native fauna populations
should be considered in <strong>the</strong> planning <strong>and</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fences to ensure
non-target <strong>impact</strong>s are minimised.
Rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fences in Australia
Australia has a long history with using barrier-fencing for control <strong>of</strong> <strong>feral</strong> <strong>animals</strong>. In
1896, Arthur Gregory Mason recommended <strong>the</strong> WA government build a rabbit pro<strong>of</strong>
fence to stop <strong>the</strong> westward encroachment <strong>of</strong> rabbits into Western Australia.
After much debate <strong>and</strong> a Royal Commission, <strong>the</strong> government eventually adopted <strong>the</strong>
idea <strong>of</strong> a barrier fence <strong>and</strong> began construction in late 1901.
Seven years <strong>of</strong> hard work followed - gangs <strong>of</strong> men, teams <strong>of</strong> horses, mules, camels,
wagons, carts, picks <strong>and</strong> shovels, <strong>and</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> sweat <strong>and</strong> tired muscles. When <strong>the</strong> fence
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