Pet rabbit owners are being urged to vaccinate them in time for the national release of the biocontrol Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV1 K5) early next month.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) plans to release the Korean strain (K5) of the commonly known Calicivirus.
It is not a new virus, but a variant of the existing RHDV1 virus first released in 1996.
In a national campaign to control vermin rabbit activity, more than 600 sites within Australia will release the virus.
After a call for expressions of interest, Victoria will have 150 community release sites, 14 of which will be in the Swan Hill region.
The baits will be placed in the first week of March and are expected to remain in place for two to three days.
The virus will be mixed with carrots and will only affect the European rabbit.
Other animals or predatory animals will not be impacted if they consume the bait.
DELWP also advised farmers to dispose of dead rabbits into warrens as it allows the virus to survive and emit for up to five months.
The program was designed to target wild rabbits which cost more than $200 million in lost agricultural production annually.
To read more about this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (February 24).
