Rabbits – adored by many as pets but also one of the most invasive and destructive pests wreaking havoc across our natural environment.
For Sarah Gibbs, Biosecurity Advisor to the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, eradicating rabbits on the maunga (volcanic cones) has her constant attention.
“Recognising that the maunga in Auckland are former pā sites of immense cultural and historical significance, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has stepped up rabbit control to protect the archaeological and geological features,” she says.
“We know that one breeding pair can produce 100-plus rabbits in one year, so leaving a rabbit population unchecked on a maunga would be catastrophic.”
Wild rabbits are environmental pests
Rabbits attack the environment in two devastating ways at the same time. They are inexhaustible grazers and can destroy pasture and threaten native plant life and ecosystems at an alarming rate.
They are also prolific burrowers, turning once compact soil into powder which can cause extensive soil erosion. On the maunga, rabbit burrow damage through an archaeological feature such as a historic pā terrace or kumara pit can be irreversible.
The Auckland Regional Pest Management Strategy and Biosecurity Act 1993 recognises that wild rabbits are environmental pests that require control. Using humane methods such as burrow fumigation and night shooting, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority has cut the number of rabbits on each maunga they administer by at least 98 per cent since control began in 2014, with 100 per cent removal achieved on Ōwairaka / Mt Albert.
“We’ve had great results on the maunga, but we haven’t reached complete eradication on all of them yet. Of concern is that in most culls we find domestic rabbit breeds and wild-domestic crossbreeds,” says Sarah.
“While the maunga may seem like a great sanctuary for an unwanted pet rabbit, it is exactly the opposite. Aside from being a totally inappropriate environment, released rabbits will not have a long and happy life there. They will be killed in a controlled rabbit cull.”
“A responsible pet owner should always re-house a rabbit if they can no longer take care of it. Never release a pet rabbit on a maunga.”
