Rainfall in South Australia and Victoria has rejuvenated paddocks after a prolonged dry spell, but it has also led to a resurgence of rabbits in areas where they have been absent for years. The increase in rabbit populations is attributed to favorable breeding conditions following the recent rains. Heidi Kleinert, the National Feral Rabbit Management coordinator, warns that Australia may be underestimating the impact of this invasive species. "Rabbits do typically go through a boom-and-bust cycle, so in some areas we are seeing populations soar as there has been abundant rainfall, which leads to food availability," she said.

Kleinert noted that rabbits are now appearing in regions that have not seen them for a long time. She emphasized the widespread impact of rabbits, stating, "Rabbits impact everyone, everywhere, every day." The economic toll is significant, with experts estimating that rabbits cause over $200 million in agricultural losses annually, which is ten times the losses attributed to foxes and mice.

Addressing the rabbit problem is challenging, according to Kleinert. She highlighted the need for collaboration between state governments and local landholders. "There isn't a lot of on-ground funding for rabbit management across Australia," she said. "We're seeing people that don't know how to tackle the rabbit issues, and they need more support in learning how to do rabbit management in an effective and sustainable way. By investing in programs like ripping and destroying the warren, we would see a greater impact."

State and territory governments are primarily responsible for managing invasive species, but inconsistent approaches can lead to varying results. A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry stated that the Australian government is committed to collaborating with local authorities. "The government, under the Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program, is investing $1.2 million towards rabbit control projects to improve control tools, capacity building, and coordinated management," the spokesperson said.

Kleinert also pointed out the need for increased research funding to explore better biological control options. "What's missing in Australia is we also need continuous public and private investment into future research," she said. She mentioned that biological controls like calicivirus and gene drives require extensive time and resources to develop and approve.

Rabbits pose a significant threat to more than 300 at-risk plant and animal species in Australia. Kleinert noted, "In Australia we have many bio-security risks and, because rabbits are so widespread and we are so used to seeing them in our landscapes as a species, they often fall to the bottom of our priority list. If we really want to see real landscape change in Australia we must remove them and invest in research. If we don't, we're going to see a continuous decline in native trees and shrubs and this will permanently change our landscape forever."

While complete eradication of rabbits is not feasible, Kleinert encourages proactive management. "Suppression of populations … on a small property is possible and it is not out of your reach," she said.

In South Australia's Limestone Coast, efforts to combat the rabbit population are underway. The Limestone Coast Landscape Board (LCLB) has reported a significant increase in rabbit numbers as the region recovers from drought. Mike Stevens, LCLB manager of landscape operations, described the situation as a "perfect storm" over the past year.

In response to numerous reports from landholders, the LCLB, in collaboration with PIRSA, launched a wild rabbit control program funded by the South Australian drought relief package. Stevens credited the program's success to community involvement. "People started to form like little communities … clusters of landholders all pitching in," he said. "It's that scale of program and that intensity of control which really helps to knock it down and you can only achieve that with everyone pitching in and working together."