RABBIT CONTROL FORUM : THE NEXT 50 YEARS |
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26th October 2001, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Gunghalin Homestead, Crace, ACT.Report compiled by F Bartholomaeus. |
This forum was timed to commemorate 50 years of myxomatosis. It was organised by the Pest Animal Control CRC, with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and the Bureau of Rural Resource (BRS). The intention, quoted from the invitation, was to:
Approximately 80 people attended the forum. These including landholders, researchers, policy makers, industry and animal welfare representatives, and people from state and federal land management agencies. The group had a remarkable breadth and depth of experience, particularly due to the presence of researchers such as Frank Fenner and Bunny Fennessy. The pre-conference dinner was held at the National Museum of Australia. Dr Frank Fenner, the virologist who did much of the early work on the myxoma virus, spoke after dinner. He told us about the history of myxomatosis and its introduction into Australia. It was great to hear the story from the horse’s mouth, as it were. Session 1: Current issues in rabbit control. Peter Allen, the CRC chairman, introduced the topic. Jonathon Tischler, from western Victoria, thinks that his rabbits are sufficiently under control to turn his attention to other management issues. His economic rationalisation of rabbit control was very encouraging. Linton Staples, from Animal Control Technologies in Victoria, asked whether we really need “perfect” control agents. He discussed acceptable risk, and the dangers of funding rabbit control as a reaction to high populations, instead of trying to keep rabbit numbers consistently low. Chris Holden told us about the NPWS “Bounceback “ program in the Flinders Ranges, and the impact of reduced rabbit numbers on introduced predators. Leigh Dennis outlined the current Draft Victorian Pest Management Framework. Principles of this framework are that individual landholders are responsible for pest control, stakeholders should cooperate, and pest control should be integrated with other land and water management issues. A number of issues came up in the discussion at the end of the session. These included the need for integrated rabbit control, where diseases like RCD are only a part of a package of control options; the need for consistency in funding to avoid boom-bust cycles in funding and optimise rabbit control; and the need to clarify the effects of rabbits at low densities, and to determine the aim of rabbit control in particular instances. Session 2 : The next 50 years: research possibilities. Tony Peacock, the new CEO of the cooperative research centre, gave us his views on the best ways to get effective research done. Brian Cooke presented results of a NSW survey of the current status of RCD. Brian plans to extend this survey to the other states, to give a more complete picture of what may be going on. Peter Kerr gave a quick tour of the myxoma virus, and Michael Holland an update on the genetically engineered myxoma virus, or virally vectored immunocontraception. This project is progressing slowly but Michael hopes that it will be at the public consultation stage in three years’ time. Much of the discussion following this session focussed on specifics of the research in progress, but plenty of questions and comments emerged concerning the role of the CRC, need for extension of research results etc. My understanding was that the immunocontraception program will only be retained in the CRC if specific results are achieved within one year. If this does not occur, the project will continue with reduced resources. Another issue to emerge was the importance of gardens and hobby farms, which provide much of the current interest in rabbit control and (of course) concern more voters AND marginal seats than traditional rural areas. Session 3 : The next 50 years : realities and restraints. David Thompson told us that, despite propaganda, landholders just won’t control their rabbits if it doesn’t make economic sense, and also gave an example where a rabbit control package for a specific area has provided useful general principles. Craig Cormick gave a very interesting paper on public acceptance of gene technology, which indicated that it is important to allow enough time for the public to accept new methods (about 2 years for a genetically engineered myxoma virus), and to use trusted sources (eg CSIRO, universities) to provide information. Glenys Oogjes, of Animals Australia, an umbrella group for various animal welfare groups, challenged the concept of rabbits as animals with fewer rights than others due to their pest status. She said that control methods, which meant the least suffering to the least numbers of animals, were preferable, though still not actually humane. Most of the discussion at the end of this session concerned the best ways to provide accurate information about new rabbit control methods. Session 4 : Action agenda. The final discussion session, ably chaired by Steve Morton, was very interesting but did not achieve the stated aims of prioritising rabbit control research, or reaching agreement on the best approach to coordinating and progressing rabbit control and research in Australia, including consideration of whether a national strategy is desirable. Despite the wealth of knowledge and experience in the room, these aims were optimistic to say the least, particularly given that the people actually able to kickstart anything more than local action, ie the public servants, were unable to commit themselves without consultation. When it became obvious that no conclusion would be reached, Tony Peacock of the Pest Animal CRC produced a summary document for release, which was accepted by consensus with a few minor alterations. |