10 January 2011

BUNNIES! EVERYWHERE!

| johnboy
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Chief Minister Stanhope is beating the drums and lighting the beacons to warn the nation of a looming rabbit plague.

“Rabbit numbers are expected to increase dramatically over coming months due to the prolonged wet spring conditions experienced in southern Australia,” Mr Stanhope said. “As conditions return to normal if left unchecked this rabbit ‘plague’ could have severe impacts for local farmers and the Territory’s native ecosystems.

“I have written to the Australian Government Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, to seek his advice on how the Australian Government will respond to this issue and what, if any, assistance will be provided to affected jurisdictions.

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guineapig said :

. I cannot comprehend those who think that this is a humane way to kill a rabbit, be that wild or domestic.

I don’t think anyone thinks myxo is a *humane* way to kill rabbits. It was like artillery on the battlefield, not humane, just extremely efficient and effective at causing maximum fatalities with minimum cost and effort.

I’ve seen old rabbit plague footage, and it was astounding. Acres of land covered with a solid seething carpet of bunnies. I think under those desperate circumstances, humanity became a secondary consideration after just finding something that would kill them.

Anyway, my kids have owned pet rabbits in the past. I hope your pets stay safe.

Maybe they should introduce feral dogs to control the rabbit population…………….

weeziepops said :

Can you buy wild rabbit corpses from the butcher? I thought there would be standards around sourcing this type of game meat. Not relevant to us vegetarians, but interesting for those of us who have been caught viewing YouTube videos of hydatids and tape worms…

Wheezipops, you can tell I an animal is infested badly with worms, they are skinny and have poor condition. Normally not a major issue with herbivores such as rabbits. The worms are generally in the gastrointestinal tract anyway.

One of the reasons we cook meat is so we as humans don’t get sick.

P.S: you are right, there are standards that meet have to meet & it has to be inspected for it suitability for sale, thus doesn’t necessarily mean that game meat is unhealthy or dangerous. On the contrary, most game is more lean & better for you.

WillHaftewaite7:56 pm 10 Jan 11

if they breed like rabbits?

We need to enlist the “celebrity chefs” to make rabbit pie a trendy dish.

JustThinking6:21 pm 10 Jan 11

weeziepops said :

Can you buy wild rabbit corpses from the butcher? I thought there would be standards around sourcing this type of game meat. Not relevant to us vegetarians, but interesting for those of us who have been caught viewing YouTube videos of hydatids and tape worms…

Hiya,
Have you noticed any Kangaroo Farms that supply the supermarkets with Kangaroo meat??
Where do you think the Kangaroo meat sitting in Woollies and Coles comes from?

Can you buy wild rabbit corpses from the butcher? I thought there would be standards around sourcing this type of game meat. Not relevant to us vegetarians, but interesting for those of us who have been caught viewing YouTube videos of hydatids and tape worms…

Buy the rabbits TVs. With all this wet weather recently, they have been stuck inside – and without a TV, what else could they be doing?!?

On a very serious note, I hope the government will consider the safety of domestic rabbits before making any decision, such as the release of Myxomatosis virus.

Myxomatosis virus was released in the 50ies by the Government to control the number of wild rabbits in Australia. The first strain of virus was recorded to kill wild rabbits within 48 hours. This in return was found to be ineffective, as it does not provide a sufficient time for insects to carry the strain and infect other wild rabbits.
A second strain of virus (less lethal) was released, which result in rabbit death within 1-2 weeks. To top that up, a protective vaccination against myxomatosis for domestic rabbit was not made available in Australia, since the Government fear that this will introduce a mutated strain of antivirus amongst the wild rabbit, presumably spread from breeding with domestic rabbit. The fact is, there has not been enough study to suggest that a protective vaccine can be spread from domestic rabbits to wild rabbits. Even if that was proven to be wrong, then a pet owner should have the right to choose to vaccinate and desex their rabbit.

If you have a pet rabbit, or know anyone who has a pet rabbit, who has been through this, would know that myxomatosis is a dreadful disease, which is why most people would choose to euthanise their rabbit. As a rabbit owner, I feel that my rights to protect my pet have been taken by the Government. I cannot comprehend those who think that this is a humane way to kill a rabbit, be that wild or domestic.

.22 is a bit dagerous in the city limits but traps, ferrits & Jack Russels work just as effectively. I have always wanted to set a few traps on Tuggeranong Hill…………….but if they reach plague proportions then maybe my fishing net will do!!

I love how he cant think for himself, talk to the SSAA, not everybody there shoots feral animals, other methods are used as well.

neanderthalsis11:19 am 10 Jan 11

Viral controls have been effective in the past, but I don’t think the CSIRO has another mixo or new strain of calici up their sleeves. Shooting is good for small population, but if they breed like rabbits and hit plague numbers we’ll need an effective biological control.

Wild caught bunnies are fetching around $20 a pop in some butchers at the moment, so plenty of commercial potential there for a new supplier.

georgesgenitals10:55 am 10 Jan 11

No doubt they will leave their little brown easter eggs all over the place…

This is most disturbing news with Easter fast approaching.
Suggest he could begin the cull from within his own bureaucracy by getting rid of the bunny who thought up the “No More Waste by 2010” campaign.

Always palming it off to the Federal Government Chiefly.

I ride to work along the bike path that takes you past Scrivener Dam, on average in the morning I pass about 10 rabbits running across the path.
Set me up with a .22 pistol and I’ll happily reduce the bunny population in that area.

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