New virus strain renews bunny battle

A new virus to control wild rabbit populations is being released widely around the country after two years of research work.

Wild rabbit

A new virus to control wild rabbit populations is being released widely around the country. (AAP)

The battle against the bunnies has 600 new fronts.

A new Korean strain of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus will be released in more than 600 sites across Australia in a bid to halt the destructive pests.

It's the culmination of almost three years' work to identify an effective strain of the disease to manage wild rabbit populations.

"Rabbits are universally recognised for their formidable reproduction powers - in just two years, two rabbits can multiply to 200 rabbits. In another two years their population could explode to 40,000," NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said.

Rabbits cause more than $200 million in lost agricultural production every year and are a danger to 304 threatened plant and animal species, federal Agricultural Minister Barnaby Joyce said.

Mr Blair encouraged land managers to follow the virus release with conventional pest control and domestic rabbit owners to have their pets vaccinated.


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Published 26 February 2017 1:00pm
Source: AAP


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