Keeping on top of rabbit problem
The Kā piti Coast ideal for rabbit breeding
One of the most common topics that people raise with me is rabbits in urban and semi-urban areas. So Greater Wellington staff have helped gather up some information on what the situation is across our district, and how we can help people with rabbits on their properties.
The Kā piti Coast is one of the Wellington region’s rabbit-prone areas. It has free-draining sandy soils, a temperate climate, and large areas of grassland, and this creates ideal conditions and provides rabbits with a benign environment free of factors that would otherwise make things hard for them.
Occupiers are responsible for rabbit control on their own properties and under the GW’s Regional Pest Management Plan are required to keep rabbits below 5 on something called a Modified McLean scale, a scale which is used to determine rabbit densities.
GW undertakes monitoring to check on rabbit levels across the region, and will work with occupiers with high numbers to reduce them to below the required level.
Council offers free advice on feral rabbit control, can do site inspections, and can in some situations do cost recovery work for controlling rabbits, such as night shooting or poison carrot baiting.
GW has some really good information and links on our website. For more efficient control, speak to your neighbours and combine your efforts when considering control.
The Kā piti Coast has developed a lot in the past 25 years, a lot of large
farms are now housing developments, and rabbits in these large farms were managed to limit effects on production values.
In the space of 25 years, rabbits are still present in much of the Kā piti Coast, but now there are many more houses and sections which means
people and rabbits interact more often.
It also makes control more complex, particularly during the early stages of new subdivision developments.
Rabbits benefit from environments being modified to suit their needs, and often when a managed farming area moves through to development of housing there are opportunities for rabbits to do well through soil disturbance.
The management of rabbits becomes less of a core part of managing that land, which results in issues for residents later on.
Controlling rabbits early on in development, before landscaping and fencing can be established, is more effective and safer as opposed to when houses are occupied.
Having a rabbit control strategy should be an important part of any development, and would assist new homeowners to get a good start.
Rabbits are always going to be with us, and good commitment to longterm management, barrier fencing and regular control is key to avoiding situations where they become an issue for you or neighbouring properties.
As subdivisions are established and introduce habitat less suited to rabbits and pets which can prey on rabbits, they can become less conspicuous, but should never be forgotten in Kā piti.