TARGETING RABBITS AT CONTROL FIELD DAY
With reported rabbit numbers around Glen Innes at their highest in 20 years, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is holding a free event to inform landholders on control methods for the feral pest.
Residents are encouraged to come along to the Rabbit Control Field Day on Tuesday 5 December at ‘Naalong’, Glen Innes to learn about strategies they might employ on their properties.
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Senior Biosecurity Officer, Gareth McLennan, said they hope landholders with smaller blocks will also attend as a consolidated effort is most effective in rabbit control.
“Part of any successful invasive species control program is a coordinated, integrated approach. Getting as many landholders on board as possible to undertake a control program will maximise the chances of achieving an effective result,” Gareth said.
“In a peri-urban environment, wild rabbits can be a major problem due to their ability to spread over numerous properties and cause a lot of damage. A pair of breeding rabbits has the capacity to produce over 200 rabbits in one year.A targeted control program with as many participants as possible is more likely to minimise their spread and population.”
“Due to the expansion of small acreage parcels of land around the edges of Glen Innes, the wild rabbit populations are expanding at an exponential rate. Their warren structures and feed requirements cause damage to gardens, buildings and pastures,” Gareth said.
Gareth said Northern Tablelands Local Land Services works with landholders to achieve a successful, coordinated rabbit control program by providing access to baits, chemical user training and property scale advice.
The Rabbit Control Field Day will discuss and demonstrate control methods including warren ripping, fumigation, trapping, advice on laying baits (Pindone) and an explosives demonstration, depending on conditions.
The Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Rabbit Control Field Day commences at 5pm on Tuesday 5 December at ‘Naalong’, 52 Wilson Road, Glen Innes. Attendees are advised to wear a hat and closed-in footwear.
For more information or to RSVP, please phone Northern Tablelands Local Land Services in Glen Innes on 02 6732 8800.
Media contact: Annabelle Monie, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services 02 6720 8317, 0429 626 326, Annabelle.monie@lls.nsw.gov.au