In many areas, coordinated predator control is already an important part of land management. Most States have already identified sensitive habitats and are developing programs for predator control should it be necessary. It is worth noting that the major threat to native mammals continues to be rabbits. Bilbies, for example, die out within ten years of rabbits invading their habitat. Twenty five percent of native mammals in western New South Wales have become locally extinct in the last one hundred years.
Rabbits are the major contributing factor.
Protecting pet rabbits Rabbit-owners can take practical steps to help minimise the risk of spreadto domestic rabbits including the kinds of good husbandry practices they now take to protect pet rabbits from myxomatosis and other diseases. An effective vaccine is available from veterinary surgeons as an additional safeguard, should rabbit-owners decide it is necessary. Effective RCD vaccines are used widely in Europe. The RCD vaccine already imported to Australia is called Cylap HVD and is made by Cyanamid in Spain. It was specially developed to protect the domestic rabbit industry in the Mediterranean area where rabbits are being farmed for their skins and meat.