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Community workshop boosts rabbit control across region

Twenty local landholders gathered last Saturday despite the heat to tackle one of Australia’s most costly invasive pests at a hands-on rabbit control workshop hosted by the Peel-Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG).

The Practical Rabbit Control for Small Landholders workshop was held at a site with active rabbit warrens in North Dandalup. Participants learned to identify rabbit activity, mark burrow entrances, use a warren smoker, and set pindone bait stations correctly.

PHBG Feral Animal Officer Lacey Ford was encouraged to see how many landholders took advantage of free bait station loan equipment at the workshops and said rabbit baiting could be a highly effective control method when used correctly.

“It’s crucial to follow label instructions, and using bait stations to reduce off-target risk and coordinating efforts with neighbours can extend successful rabbit control across property lines,” she said.

Ms Ford acknowledged that pesticide use can be controversial, but said that baiting is an important part of the invasive species control toolkit, particularly where alternatives such as trapping or shooting are not feasible.

“Pindone is the only legal rabbit baiting option for peri-urban areas. It’s formulated to work by feeding the poison product to rabbits three times with each feed, three to five days apart. Bait placement is crucial and giving the product in one large feed will not provide landholders with the control results they are looking for.”

PHBG provides purpose-built bait stations to help improve control outcomes and reduce the risks of non-target poisoning. Landholders within the Peel-Harvey region can reach out to the not-for-profit for help planning their rabbit response.

Landholders who attended the weekend event borrowed 20 bait stations and five trail cameras from PHBG, with participants saying they enjoyed the practical demonstration and that they understood better what needed to be done on their own properties.

PHBG supports landholders across the Peel-Harvey region with advice, training and equipment loans to help manage invasive pests such as rabbits, foxes and feral pigs.

Landholders keep up to date with the activities of PHBG by following the group on Facebook, visiting www.PHBG.org, and subscribing to receive the quarterly seasonal newsletter, which provides information on seasonal control activities, upcoming events and emerging biosecurity threats.

ENDS

Media enquiries: media@phbg.org (Mon & Tues) 

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