George Town residents are being encouraged to join a national challenge to record data about rabbits, from at least 5000 sites across Australia.
May is RabbitScan month, and Mayor Douglas Burt is encouraging individuals and groups in the George Town area to help scientists map rabbit populations by scanning their local area for rabbits and signs of their damage, and adding that to a Google Map. Although rabbit numbers are increasing, populations and locations are not yet fully understood. This is a great opportunity to provide grassroots information about the distribution and abundance of rabbits," said Mayor Burt. Scientists will use the RabbitScan information to help determine future control options. Results from this initiative will also assist the Tasmanian North East region's long-term commitment to research and development of new or improved management strategies for rabbits.
"There are already thousands registered on the RabbitScan website. So far, some registrations from our area, such as Low Head, Hillwood and Weymouth are included, but we need more RabbitScan data on the George Town Municipality's area," Mayor Burt said.
Log on to the RabbitScan website http://www.rabbitscan.net.au/joomla/index.php and you'll receive a guide on how to find and map local rabbit threats, using Google Maps technology. You can also report rabbit sightings via SMS. Send a text message with your name, phone number, location, date and number of rabbits seen to 0421 690 892.
"This year is the 150th anniversary since the introduction of wild rabbits into Australia. 2009 marks a century and a half of major agricultural and environmental damage from these pests," Mayor Burt said. "Rabbits are a menace to the agricultural industry as they eat crop pasture and spread weeds. They are estimated to cause $200 million damage to agriculture each year. They are also a great environmental concern because as few as four rabbits per hectare can stop regeneration of native plants. They even destroy vegetation in urban and coastal areas," Mayor Burt said.
The RabbitScan Month Challenge is an initiative of the Rabbit Management Advisory Group and the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre (CRC).
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