Story: Rabbits

Rabbits in the Mackenzie Country

Parts of the South Island experienced a series of dry seasons in the mid-1980s. These allowed high survival rates among young rabbits, and numbers increased alarmingly. In the Mackenzie Country and Central Otago numbers reached a level not seen since the late 1940s. The video clip shows swarms of rabbits in the Mackenzie Country at the time, but cannot fully show their profound impact on the vegetation.

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How to cite this page:

Robert Peden, 'Rabbits - Biological control', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/15279/rabbits-in-the-mackenzie-country (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Robert Peden, published 24 Nov 2008