Newsroom Investigates goes down the rabbit hole looking at the South Island region overrun with rabbits.

The first step in adaptive pest management is to define the problem and understand as much as possible about the pest. Analysis of rabbit problems is aided by data on:

• Their impact – signs of rabbit damage.
• Their distribution and abundance – where rabbits are found and, especially, where their warrens are. Warrens are crucial to rabbit breeding and therefore a key to their control. Knowing where they feed can help if baiting will be part of the control program.

Many recommended methods of euthanasia for captive animals are not feasible under field conditions; however the challenges presented by field conditions should not lessen the ethical obligation of the operator to reduce pain and distress to the greatest extent possible during euthanasia.

This National Standard Operating Procedure (NATSOP) is a guide only; it does not replace or override the legislation that applies in the relevant state or territory jurisdiction. The NATSOP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.

Introducing, keeping and supplying rabbits in Queensland is illegal and penalties apply. Limited types of permits for domestic rabbits are available from Biosecurity Queensland for research purposes, public display, magic acts, and circuses. Before a permit is granted, guidelines must be met.

With a few tips and tricks, we’ll teach you how to protect your garden from animals such as rabbits and deer, as well as other invading pests.

This blog is a resource on how to protect your garden from invading pests.

Although entirely eliminating a rabbit population from your property may not be possible. There are a number of things you can do to reduce their numbers through altering the habitat, barriers and repellents to keeping them out of your garden as well as getting rid of rabbits in other ways.

This page discusses how to deter rabbits with 3 strategic methods.

Got rabbits? These small mammals can do a number on young plants, so control and prevention is paramount. Aside from fencing, there are many old-time remedies and other solutions that will keep them out of the garden patch! Plus, see a list of plants that rabbits tend to ignore. 

This blog is a resource for information on how to identify and control the rabbit population in your yard.

In Victoria, feral or wild populations of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are declared as established pest animals under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CALP Act)Under the CALP Act all landowners have a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of – and as far as possible eradicate – established pest animals from their land.

Good planning is essential for maximising the effectiveness of your rabbit control program, while minimising the impact on other animals. Consider rabbit density, distribution and habitat, as this will determine what actions are appropriate.

This page is a resource by Agriculture Victoria

The video titled "Menace Of The Rabbit (1948)" is an archival newsreel documenting Australia's struggle with a massive rabbit infestation in the mid-20th century.

It showcases the ecological and agricultural devastation caused by the unchecked rabbit population, which led to significant crop destruction and land degradation.

The footage highlights the extensive measures taken to control the outbreak, including fencing, poisoning, and trapping, underscoring the severity of the issue and the lengths to which authorities went to mitigate the damage.​