Integrated Rabbit Control: Follow up warren destruction

With the late autumn rains, soil conditions and feed levels are now at a point that rabbit warren destruction and baiting activities will be wrapping up, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit back and wait for the rabbits to come back in the spring.

Management options in the autumn and winter months include:

* Population monitoring

* Surface harbour destruction

* Follow up population control.

Population monitoring:

Identify areas where activity is returning to evaluate success rates of warren destruction and baiting programs. Monitor the ripped areas in the months after ripping and check for reopened burrows or any missed warrens. Re-visit ripped warrens and rabbit prone areas regularly and record evidence of rabbit activity (eg fresh diggings, scrapings, fur or tracks) or possible rabbit damage (eg vegetation browsing).

If any remaining rabbits are found, follow up control should be carried out using complementary techniques such as fumigation. Ongoing monitoring can help to ensure long-term rabbit control.

Surface Harbour Destruction:

Above-ground harbour such as dense, low-growing vegetation, logs, rubbish piles and weeds can provide rabbits with protection from predators and weather extremes. Removing these materials and clearing patches of woody weeds (eg gorse, blackberries) can reduce the likelihood of rabbits surviving in an area, particularly after warren ripping and other control activities have been carried out. Rabbit-proof fencing can also be constructed around nearby native vegetation to limit rabbit dispersal throughout the area.

Follow up population control:

Where isolated burrows are identified subsequent to warren destruction programs, fumigation can be successful in managing small populations. It is important to return to destroy warrens after fumigation to prevent recolonization.

All fumigants are Schedule 7 poisons therefore an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP) is required to purchase them. Schedule 7 poisons can only be used by holder of an ACUP or under the direct supervision of an ACUP holder.

Fumigation only works when rabbits are in warrens and warrens are sealed. Use dogs to roam the area to be controlled prior to treatment to flush rabbits to warrens. Each warren entrance needs to be treated and sealed individually.

Shooting can be successful in managing small populations of rabbits where surface activity has been identified through population monitoring. Shooting is not effective as long-term control as warrens remain open. Follow-up identification and destruction of warrens is required.

Further information on pest animal management can be found on the PestSmart website: https://www.pestsmart.org.au/