THE Limestone Coast Landscape Board (LCLB) is looking to increase its feral rabbit control programs in the lead up to summer.
LCLB has announced it will be using a biological control agent to keep rabbit numbers down in tandem with landholder control programs.
The agent, RHDV K5, has been developed to cause a variant of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus in European rabbits.
LCLB acting team leader of northern operations Josh Rosser said relying on biological control alone will not bring populations down to sustainable levels.
“The best approach is a coordinated rabbit control program with neighbours firstly spotlighting to find problem areas then applying targeted poison baiting and follow up warren destruction,” he said.
“A variety of rabbit control methods are available for landholders and can include trail baiting with 1080 oat bait, Pindone poison oat or carrot bait, fumigation, biological control and warren destruction.“
Mr Rosser warned domestic rabbit owners to make sure they were up to date on their vaccinations as pet rabbits could also be at risk of infection.
“Domestic (pet) rabbits can be infected by RHDV strains, as they are descendants of wild rabbits and we advise owners of pet rabbits to vaccinate their animals against the virus,” he said.
LCLB has also requested landholders who find suspected diseased rabbits to report sightings to RabbitScan to help better inform future rabbit control programs.
