New Rabbit Virus - Get Involved as a Monitoring Site
The national release of RHDV1-K5 is now likely to take place in Spring 2016 or Autumn 2017 pending approvals.
The RHDV1-K5 is a national program. Governments have a number of factors to work through prior to release to ensure maximum impact on wild rabbit populations; that the necessary approvals and that affected landholders and community groups are fully informed.
The public consultation period for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) approval process commenced on Tuesday 15 December 2015 and concluded in January 2016. As this product is a new active constituent, under the requirements of the AgVet Code, APVMA must conduct public consultation before finalising its decision.
Rabbits have major impacts on farming businesses and the environment. A draft report released by the Department of Environment in late 2015 found that rabbits are a significant threat to biodiversity, affecting 304 nationally threatened plant and animal species. Rabbits also decrease agricultural productivity in excess of $200 million a year. A commitment to sustained and on-going management is imperative.
Rabbit numbers are increasing and an improved biological control agent in conjunction with a community-led response, using best practice rabbit management principles, is a unique opportunity to mitigate this damage. The national release of the new naturally occurring strain of RHDV1 K5 is part of a 20 year national bio-control plan to further control rabbits. The Invasive Animals CRC rabbit scientific committee is confident that RHDV1 K5 is safe, humane, has a wide reach and will reduce the number of feral rabbits in Australia.
The research team is still accepting online Expressions of Interest from landowners and managers wanting to be involved in the release. Details on what is involved can be found here. The research team will strategically select sites mid-2016 and notify successful applicants.
If your group would like to be involved, please contact Charles Willcocks of Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups at charleswillcocks@bigpond.com. YAN is interested in supporting/coordinating group efforts.
For enquiries regarding rabbit management in your state or territory jurisdiction, please call or email your local land management authority (South East LLS). Details can be found via PestSmart Connect.
