Farmers told to make more effort with rabbit control

Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead. Photo / ODT file

Otago Regional Council is not "not in the business of controlling rabbits" and some farmers are not putting in enough effort to control rabbits, chairman Stephen Woodhead says.

Responding to a report detailing the effectiveness of the RHDV 1 ''K5'' virus, Woodhead, a farmer himself, said: "I have noticed that rabbit control is something that some farmers have not put enough effort into over recent years.

"ORC is not in the business of controlling rabbits, that ceased when Rabbit Boards were disbanded in the early 1990's. Landowners need to take their responsibilities seriously."

He reminded all Otago landowners that they have a fundamental obligation to control the pests on their land – especially rabbits.

"We all know that if you can see rabbits on your property you have a problem. It is your duty as a land owner to deal with that problem and put in place effective controls."

Effective rabbit control relied on a number of tools, including poison, shooting, and biological controls – like the recently released RHDV K5 virus.

Coordination between landowners was also essential.

He was pleased the results of the K5 release lined up with what was expected and had been found elsewhere in NZ.

"The overall impact of K5 virus on all monitored sites was a 47 per cent reduction in observed rabbits, slightly better than was predicted by Landcare prior to the release."

As Landcare predicted, the impact of the K5 virus has also varied across the region.

"In some places the impact has been as high as 80 per cent.

"In others, where there has been high background immunity, the impact has been very low."

In some ORC sampling sites the background immunity to the virus was as high as 80 per cent of tested rabbits.

He said ORC went to extraordinary effort last autumn to ensure an efficient and effective release of the K5 virus.

"I completely disagree with Michael Laws criticisms, they are a cheap swipe from someone who does not have the slightest understanding of rabbit control or the work that staff and landowners do with regards to pest control."

Landowners that had rabbit issues needed to plan a control programme, which for some would include a winter poison which needed good strategy and coordination with neighbours.