Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00031:body:0:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00031
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 8608–11689

increasing the effectiveness of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease, with several new strains identified, and
       * new approaches and educational tools e.g. online manuals, guidelines, factsheets and economic decision models, have been produced to assist land managers implement integrated control programs.
This new TAP incorporates the knowledge gained since the 2008 TAP and the new objectives and actions have been written in line with the recommendations of the review.

Involvement of stakeholders

The successful implementation of this TAP will depend on a high level of cooperation between landholders, community groups, non-government conservation organisations, local government, state and territory conservation and pest management agencies, and the Australian Government. Success will depend on all participants allocating adequate resources to achieve effective on-ground control of rabbits at critical sites, improving the effectiveness of control programs, and measuring and assessing outcomes. It is acknowledged that there have been declines in the number of people working on rabbit issues at a various levels of government, and this may add to the challenge of allocating adequate resources. However, programs in natural resource management, at national, state and regional levels, can make significant contributions to implementing the plan.

Threat abatement plan for rabbits
This section provides an overview of the threat and management of competition and land degradation by rabbits. The background document (Department of the Environment and Energy 2016a) should be referred to for further information.

The threat

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was deliberately released onto the Australian mainland in the mid to late 1800s. Rabbits dominated two-thirds or 70% of the continent within 70 years (equivalent to approximately 5.3 million square kilometres) (Cox et al. 2013; Bengsen & Cox 2014). With the exception of the feral cat in Australia, this is considered to be the fastest rate of any colonizing mammal anywhere in the world (cited in Williams et al. 1995; McLeod 2004) — with colonisation greatly aided by the use of warrens (which protect them against predators and climatic extremes), their high reproductive rates, and their ability to survive in a wide range of habitats (Williams et al. 1995). They are now one of the most widely distributed and abundant mammals in Australia (Williams et al. 1995); found in all states and territories and many offshore islands, with only the most northerly regions of the mainland being rabbit free.  Their exact abundance is unknown and cannot be readily quantified as population sizes frequently fluctuate through factors such as breeding events, mortality caused from biocontrol agents or drought, and availability of resources.
Rabbits inflict substantial damage upon both agricultural and environmental assets (e.g. native flora and fauna, vegetation communities, landforms, geomorphic processes and sensitive sites, and crops) and have been described as Australia's most costly vertebrate