Australia rabbit biocontrol efforts

Australia has spent more than a century battling invasive European rabbits that cause severe soil erosion, loss of native flora, and substantial economic damage. Early control measures included rabbit‑proof fences and the release of the Myxoma virus in the 1950s, which initially cut rabbit numbers by about 90 %. When rabbits developed immunity, the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus was introduced in the 1990s.

A parallel biocontrol success occurred in the 1920s when the Cactoblastis cactorum moth was released to eradicate invasive prickly pear cactus, reclaiming millions of hectares of farmland. While these historical programs are cited as landmark pest‑management achievements, resistance and new invasive threats have renewed concerns.

In July 2026 the Australian government announced a $4 million Future‑Proofing Rabbit Biocontrol programme, funded jointly by the Commonwealth and industry partners such as CSIRO and Meat & Livestock Australia. The initiative aims to develop the next generation of biological controls to address rising rabbit populations and growing resistance to existing methods, protecting livestock, crops, and native ecosystems.