As part of the NSW Government\u2019s billion-dollar commitment to protecting the state against biosecurity threats farmers and landowner in the state\u2019s south-east are being urged to join efforts to control feral rabbit populations while conditions are favourable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With grass drying off, it\u2019s an ideal time for neighbours in the Queanbeyan-Palerang area to sign up to an upcoming coordinated control program led by South East Local Land Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feral rabbits are a priority pest in the South East due to the widespread agricultural and environmental damage they can cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The use of biocontrol agents, such as calicivirus, has proven effective in combination with traditional control methods like baiting, trapping, and shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South East Local Land Services will deliver a targeted release of calicivirus in the Queanbeyan-Palerang area around February to March, weather permitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Landholders are encouraged to register their interest<\/a> online to participate and receive updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more landholders who join the program, the better the results are likely to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent successes highlight the power of collaboration. In Carwoola, 22 landholders worked together to manage rabbit populations across 126 hectares, showing how community efforts can yield significant results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information and resources, download the CISS Glovebox Guide to Rabbit Control guide<\/a> and South East Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan 2024-2028<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Landholders can contact their local biosecurity officer on 1300 795 299<\/a> at any time to develop a control plan tailored to their property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFeral rabbits are one of the most widespread and destructive pests in NSW, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems, farmland, and native wildlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe NSW Government urges landholders in the Queanbeyan-Palerang area to take advantage of the free advice and support Local Land Services offers to help control feral rabbits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Local Member for Monaro, Steve Whan said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cProtecting against feral rabbits can\u2019t be achieved on your own, so working with your neighbours and Local Land Services is very important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By working together, we can make a positive difference to the widespread damage rabbits do to farms and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Local Land Services Senior Biosecurity Officer, Louise MacDonald said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLandholders have a general biosecurity duty to manage pests on their properties, including feral rabbits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor effective, long-term control, feral rabbit populations must be curbed by at least 90 per cent using a combination of control methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis can\u2019t be achieved on your own, so working with your neighbours and Local Land Services is vitally important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn addition to the calicivirus release program, landholders are also being asked to assist with trapping efforts and surveillance testing for calicivirus resistance to monitor effectiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As part of the NSW Government\u2019s billion-dollar commitment to protecting the state against biosecurity threats farmers and landowner in the state\u2019s south-east are being urged to join efforts to control feral rabbit populations while conditions are favourable. With grass drying off, it\u2019s an ideal time for neighbours in the Queanbeyan-Palerang area to sign up to … Continue reading “Call to curb feral rabbits in south-east NSW”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nswnews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30942"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30942\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30943,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30942\/revisions\/30943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}