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Stewardship News -
Prepare now for springtime rabbit control
Spring is a time when many plants germinate or start putting on new growth and this will attract rabbits. Fresh diggings and droppings along with any recent grazing damage are signs that rabbits may be present on your property.
In our region rabbits can breed all year round but they will need shelter from predators such as raptors, foxes and cats and spaces in summer to manage heat stress. In summer, warrens can be particularly important for providing a space to regulate temperatures for baby rabbits (kittens).
To help keep rabbit numbers down, spring is a great time to clean up your property, getting rid of piles of debris and to start woody weed control for things like blackberry and gorse.
Spring is also a great time to destroy warrens when the ground isn’t too wet or too dry and hard.
Rabbits living in hay sheds, along with warrens underneath sheds, can cause considerable damage, in some cases undermining the structural integrity of your shed. Protect these assets by ensuring rabbit numbers are managed with an integrated approach.
If your concerns with rabbit damage are more specific, you can look at protecting what is valuable to you. Rabbit proof exclusion fencing is a long-term investment that can have extremely good results. Fencing off your vegetable garden can ensure that your hard work does not disappear overnight.
Interested in learning how you can control rabbits on your property?
Wild rabbits are an invasive species and pose significant threats to agriculture and the environment in the Hills and Fleurieu. They destroy gardens, native vegetation and compete with stock and native animals for food and habitat.
