Falling primary production commodity prices and fewer farm workers means that less resources can be put into rabbit control. Australian farmers and the environment suffer the consequences as rabbit damage continues. Rabbit calicivirus disease could provide the incentive to turn this around. In New Zealand, thousands of hectares in the South Island have been degraded by a growing population of rabbits. Rabbit control is also necessary over extensive parts of the North Island's east coast and other areas of free-draining soils.
Rabbits cause severe ecological damage even at low densities.
New approaches are needed to complement traditional control measures. Myxomatosis was never introduced into New Zealand so other biological controls are needed to complement current control methods. Rabbits - indefensible on any grounds. Commercial use of wild rabbits in Australia.