Discuss the history, geography and ecology of the rabbit invasion in Australia

Numerous studies get to been contacted on the h be in Australia (paring knife,I.(1977),Twigg, E.L., Lowe, J.T., Wheeler, G.A., Gray, S.G., Martin, R.G. & Barker,W.(1998), Wheeler,H.S. &King,R.D. (1985), Rolls,E.C. (1969)), masking piece issues much(prenominal) as its universe of discourse ecology, airing, survival and the efficiencies of the various checker methods that have been used up to date. In the early stages of the rock hunt down plague, fences were erected to prevent public exposure or s modest the tread of dispersal, but these proved to costly and ineffective. The mid-fifties saw the introduction of the biological learn agent, myxoma virus. This had great success ab initio but unfortunately the government failed to capitalize on the success, with continued control. The run Calcivirus Disease (RCD) was introduced (albeit accidentally) in the early 1990s. A soaringly infectious disease, stretch out by direct contact or by vectors (mosquito) with a death rate rate between 50-90%. However progeny kittens are not as susceptible as older rabbits.(Linton 2001) and when the female goes on to cover they are able to pass on maternal antibodies to their young.In determining whether or not the complete annihilation of the rabbit in Australia is a executable concept, one needs to study or be aware of indisputable aspects of their ecology. Such as their bearing and dispersal patterns and from this weaknesses king become evident, which would because aide in the annihilation of the rabbit.Read also History QuizzesThe Rabbit made its firstly appearance is the Eocene in Asia and North America, arriving in atomic number 63 during the Miocene period. Two stand in species from Southern France and Spain were identified O.cuniculus cuniculus and O.cunniculus buxteyi. The first named sub species from France was frequently released on is imparts as a aliment source for sailors that might become shipwrecked. The image of the rabbit had some bearin g on its dispersal and protection. In that it provided the people with their main source of food during times of tribulation or depression and consequently they attained a rather esteemed image. This in turn throw out aided their rapid dispersal.The arrival of the maiden fleet in 1788 saw the introduction of the rabbit in Australia. However, it was Tasmania that had the first recording of a feral rabbit population in 1827. Mainland Australia remained rabbit free until 1859, when a grazier and sportsman arranged for the shipment of twenty- cardinal rabbits from England. doubting Thomas Austin released the rabbits on his property in Gee desire, Victoria around Christmas of 1859. decennary years from this initial release, 14,253 rabbits were shot for sport on this same property. This illustrates the spicy fertility and dispersal rates of the rabbit. By the year 1910, two-thirds of Australia was inhabited by the rabbit (Parer (1982) for Ratcliffe 1959). With a dispersal rate of just about 70km/yr (Parer 1982), the rabbit went to colonise Queensland in spite of appearance 30 years and reaching Western Australia within 40 years of its release. Stodart and Parer project that it has the fastest dispersal rate of any colonising mammal in the world.The introduction of the rabbit had an enormous match on the primal wildlife, displacing many atomic-medium sized native mammals the greater Bilby, genus Bettongia Leseur are but a few. The displaced was largely due to competition for food and the altering of their ecosystems. With the enormity of their population, widespread regards were inevitable depletion of native plant life, competition for space, toping warrens and burrows of native animals being overtaken by the rabbit. Predators such as foxes increased in poesy as a direct result of the high number of rabbits to pit on. Unfortunately when the rabbit numbers declined due to drought, etc the foxes would turn on the small native mammals. The economic im plications were also enormous Sloane etal (1988) puts the impact at approximately $90 million in lost production and a further $20 million on the control.The European rabbit has an extremely high fertility rate together with a relatively short maternity period of approximately 30 days. They are able to fall enceinte immediately after giving birth. Their litter size fluctuates between four to seven kittens. Although small at birth, weighing about thirty-five grams they are able to increase their birth weight by a dumbfounding 600% by the time they are ready to leave the warren, generally at about 21 days of age. They depart be capable of breeding when they reach an age of 3-4 months (Parer 1977). The prolificacy of their breeding season is regulated by rainfall and hence the availability of food. When the rainfall is in short append or during the occurrence of a drought, the breeding season will be short, litter sizes will be smaller and fewer females will breed (Twigg et al 199 8).The warren provides the newly born and the young kittens with shelter from the acrimonious elements and protection from predators. This is especially so in the open, cleared grazing land where there is little, if any, shelter or protection provided by natural vegetation (Parer 1997). Linton (2001) supports this by stating that the rabbit lowers it chances of survival outside the warren and that the warren is the tenderness of the rabbits life. This therefore seems to suggest that the destruction of the warren would facilitate in the yen term eradication of the rabbit.Rabbit control is the (artificial) imposition of mortality. It is generally fake that, under normal circumstances, 100% mortality as a result of control is unlikely (Wheeler and King 1985224). They continue by suggesting that since complete eradication is not possible, one needs to ascertain when the best time of impact would be. The best time would seem to be when the rabbit is in its roughly vulnerable state, i.e. when it is a kitten. Wheeler and King (1985) argue that by targeting the young kittens, resources are increased for those that survive and for the litters born later in that year. They suggest that targeting the adults just at the commencement of their breeding season would impact more(prenominal) on the actual population size.That is, there would be a step-down in the total number of kittens or litters born during that breeding season. Linton (2001) argues that the superlative influence on the control of the rabbit is the actual rabbit habitat itself. That is a habitat which has a high rabbit population will always be highly susceptible to re-establishment. Linton (2001) continues by suggesting that a control program which concentrates on those components of the habitat that make it susceptible to rabbit infestation, would then greatly reduce re-establishment of the rabbit. Twigg etal (1998) suggest that the rabbit problem needs to be addressed on a regional basis, not as an Australian wide problem, even though it is. Parer (1982) supports this but, suggests that in it infancy a control program aimed at isolated populations would be more beneficial. Parer puts this down to the reduced invasion by immigrants due to its location and therefore the reduced population would be kept at low densities by resident facultative predators.It would seem that the complete eradication of the rabbit in Australia is insurmountable due to the enormity of our country and its varied landscape. However with a management plan the targets individual regions, a reduction in the population density of the rabbit is achievable. This would involve a combination of control methods which would contain environmental, biological, economic factors (Linton 2001, Twigg etal 1998.Parer 1982). The biological controls still have an effect on the rabbit, so this together with mechanical controls and timing would beneficial to the overall problem. Mechanical controls such as warren rippin g is an important element in the long term plan and the commencement of this should be when the rabbit population is low (Linton 2001).Therefore the likelihood of re-colonisation is reduced. Follow up procedures of fumigation poisoning might be necessary to ensure that the population has been eradicated from within that area. The timing of these methods seems to play an multiform role in the rabbits demise. Perhaps with time and proper management the eradication of the rabbit is feasible, but not without the financial support and backing of some(prenominal) regional and commonwealth governments. The key seems to be to start on a small scale and work up to larger regional control or eradication.