Rabbit Infestation in Australia
Rabbit Infestation in Australia
Rabbits have been the worst invasive species that have been reported in Australia. They have widely spread in Australia leading to a massive destruction of the Australian environment. Rabbits have caused devastating effects on the ecosystem since they are believed to be the main factor in species loss in Australia. They have caused a lot of damages on crops and also destroyed and killed young trees and plants. In addition, rabbits cause serious problems on soil making it unproductive. Rabbits feed on native plants leaving the top soil bare and exposed making the land vulnerable to soil erosion. Rabbits have contributed to the thriving of non-native species like feral cats and foxes which have also caused a lot of damage to the Australian ecosystem (Pech and Hood1998). Rabbit infestation in Australia has become an environmental problem because they have destroyed the vegetation and also affected the Australian soil causing soil erosion and this highly affects farming in the continent. They have caused adverse effects mainly on vegetation, native plants, wild life and domestic livestock.
Rabbits were first introduced in Australia in the 18th century. At first, they were brought in by the first fleet in 1778 by the settlers and were first bred as food animals in Australia by the European settlers. The domestic rabbit was used as food by the settlers because it was an easily available food rich in protein. The wild rabbits were introduced by Thomas Austin for the purpose of hunting. Thomas Austin was the first person to release 24 rabbits on his farm so as to dedicate his weekend for hunting unknowingly that it will create the problem of rabbit infestation in Australia. Through Austin’s release of the 24 rabbits, the species population grew enormously in Australia becoming an environmental problem. Thomas Austin is the one who is held responsible for rabbit infestation in Australia even though the other settler later released
Rabbits have been the worst invasive species that have been reported in Australia. They have widely spread in Australia leading to a massive destruction of the Australian environment. Rabbits have caused devastating effects on the ecosystem since they are believed to be the main factor in species loss in Australia. They have caused a lot of damages on crops and also destroyed and killed young trees and plants. In addition, rabbits cause serious problems on soil making it unproductive. Rabbits feed on native plants leaving the top soil bare and exposed making the land vulnerable to soil erosion. Rabbits have contributed to the thriving of non-native species like feral cats and foxes which have also caused a lot of damage to the Australian ecosystem (Pech and Hood1998). Rabbit infestation in Australia has become an environmental problem because they have destroyed the vegetation and also affected the Australian soil causing soil erosion and this highly affects farming in the continent. They have caused adverse effects mainly on vegetation, native plants, wild life and domestic livestock.
Rabbits were first introduced in Australia in the 18th century. At first, they were brought in by the first fleet in 1778 by the settlers and were first bred as food animals in Australia by the European settlers. The domestic rabbit was used as food by the settlers because it was an easily available food rich in protein. The wild rabbits were introduced by Thomas Austin for the purpose of hunting. Thomas Austin was the first person to release 24 rabbits on his farm so as to dedicate his weekend for hunting unknowingly that it will create the problem of rabbit infestation in Australia. Through Austin’s release of the 24 rabbits, the species population grew enormously in Australia becoming an environmental problem. Thomas Austin is the one who is held responsible for rabbit infestation in Australia even though the other settler later released
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