How many rabbits are here?

It is notoriously difficult to count rabbits but it is often not so hard to determine if recent rabbit controls have made any difference. If land managers do not know whether they have rabbits, beytond damage caused by rabbits, warrens, rabbit scats, just looking can be very revealinhg.

We recommend, if a land manager is interested in answering the question, taking a torch outside after dark and having a look. Rabbits tend to stare at torches and their eyes show up as red, in pairs.

To determine a relative assessment of a rabbit population, what is called a 'spot-light' count can help. For this, the same path is followed on two occasions and the number of rabbits seen in the same time period, on the same path, using the same torches, is counted to enable a comparative estimate. How many more or less on subsequent occasions is the telling number. 

In some circumstances, it is really helpful to count rabbits if possible - for example when trying to determine how many rabbits will eat certain bait, the actual number is important. For most purposes, however, a relative number is sufficient.

Spot-light counts are very different from RabbitScan counts which aim to locate and quantify warrens. See https://www.feralscan.org.au/rabbitscan/