After the Rabbit & Land Management Program ended in 1995, farmers firmly believed it was only a matter of time before a biological control was introduced, to aid in the control of feral rabbits. The RLMP cost over 25 million dollars and ran for just over 5 years. In 1995 New Zealand and Australia began a jointly funded research program, into the feasibility of using a strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHD) from the Czech Republic, as a biological control agent for the use, against feral rabbits. In October 1995, RHD escaped from field trials on Wardang Island, five kilometres off the South Australian coast. In August 1997 Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease was illegally introduced into New Zealand by a group of South Island Farmers. This release took place after the Ministry of Agriculture declined the import application of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus, as a biological control for feral rabbits. Well before the illegal introduction became official , rumours of farmers secretly trialing the virus were rife. If you would like to find out more about RHD, visit Rabbit Informtion Service this excellent site, and well worth a look. |
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease |
