However, farmers of both countries stand to gain tens of millions of dollars in increased agricultural output since damage caused by rabbits is the main source of agricultural losses. With the rabbit population about to be reduced by an estimated 70 per cent, farmers will finally have relief from this problem. Over a century ago, wealthy Englishmen who migrated to Australia brought hundreds of rabbits on their ships with them to use as the object of their traditional hunts. By the late 1970s, Australian farmers were putting considerable pressure on the government to find a solution to the problem. At one point, ferrets were imported to help control the rabbit population.
Ferrets prey on young rabbits.
It was soon discovered that the ferrets were infected with Bovine Tuberculoses and were spreading it to cattle and deer. Not only was there less beef and cattle to export, but it quickly became known on the international market that Australian cattle were infected with tuberculoses. This caused a loss in confidence in Australian beef which further hurt exports. These losses to Australian agrigulture made it necessary for the government to release a different strain of myxo to control the ferret population which had originally been imported to control the rabbit population. By 1990, the Australian government was facing increased pressure from farmers and had to find another solution to control the rabbit population.