12 Questions
What was a major challenge faced by farmers due to rabbits in the grasslands?
Rabbits destroying grasslands
What economic impact did the rabbit plague have on wool production?
Decreased wool production
What was a method attempted to control the rabbit population?
Building rabbit-proof fences
What was the devastating effect of introducing predators like cats, ferrets, weasels, and stoats?
Led to devastating impacts on native wildlife
What led to the eventual subsiding of the rabbit plague?
Changing fashion trends
What method was used by farmers in the 1990s to control the rabbit population?
Releasing calicivirus disease
Where did Watson Shenan and his brother Alexander find ideal land for sheep farming in New Zealand?
Manuhirikia Valley
What economic events initially made Otago and Southland the economic heart of New Zealand?
Wool price boom and gold rush in the 1860s
What caused one of the greatest economic and environmental disasters in New Zealand during the 19th century?
Rabbit plagues
Why were rabbits introduced to New Zealand along with other animals by early European explorers and colonists?
Improve pest control and hunting
What was a key reason rabbits were considered the perfect animal for a new colony?
Fast breeding and ease of transportation
Which factor contributed to the rapid increase of the rabbit population in New Zealand by the 1870s?
Tens of millions of rabbits were already present in the country
Study Notes
- In 1857, Watson Shenan and his brother Alexander, from a sheep farming family in Scotland, found ideal land in New Zealand for sheep farming in the Manuhirikia Valley in Central Otago.
- Central Otago initially thrived as perfect sheep country due to a wool price boom and the gold rush in the 1860s, making Otago and Southland the economic heart of New Zealand.
- Rabbit plagues in the 19th century led to one of the greatest economic and environmental disasters in New Zealand, turning farmland into desert and causing significant financial losses.
- The introduction of rabbits to New Zealand in the 1830s, along with other animals brought by early European explorers and colonists, aimed to improve pest control and hunting but led to unintended consequences.
- Various animals, including rabbits, were introduced to New Zealand by different parties, with unclear records due to embarrassment or lack of accountability, contributing to the environmental challenges faced later.- Rabbit introduction to New Zealand was a joint effort by individual colonists and acclimatization societies supported by the government.
- Rabbits were considered the perfect animal for a new colony due to their fast breeding, ease of transportation, and multiple uses.
- Rabbit population exploded in New Zealand, reaching tens of millions by the 1870s, causing significant damage to farmlands.
- Farmers faced challenges with rabbits denuding grasslands, leading to the need for professional rabbit catchers or rabbiters.
- Rabbiters had a tough life catching, skinning, and processing a large number of rabbits daily for export of skins and meat.
- The rabbit plague had economic impacts, providing more jobs but also causing losses in wool production and pasture damage.
- Various solutions to control the rabbit population were attempted, including building rabbit-proof fences, offering bounties for rabbit ears, and introducing predators like cats, ferrets, weasels, and stoats.
- The introduction of predators led to devastating effects on native wildlife, as warned by some experts.
- The rabbit plague eventually subsided due to changing fashion trends, refrigerated shipping allowing meat exports, and systematic extermination efforts by the government using advanced tools like 1080 poison.
- New Zealand faced another rabbit plague in the 1990s, leading to the illegal release of the deadly rabbit disease calicivirus by farmers to control the population.
- Despite initial success, rabbit populations are now on the rise again, posing challenges to farmlands and native wildlife.
Explore the history of the rabbit plague in New Zealand, from the introduction of rabbits by early explorers to the economic and environmental impacts, along with the various attempts to control the rabbit population. Learn about the challenges faced by farmers and the consequences of introducing predators.
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