The ecology of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in coastal southern Western Australia

Twigg, Laurie E.; Lowe, Tim J.; Martin, Gary R.; Wheeler, Amanda G.; Gray, Garry S.; Griffin, Sandra L.; O’Reilly, Catherine M.; Butler, Tania L.; Robinson, David J.; Hubach, Peter H.

doi:10.1071/wr97066

Cited by 27 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Thus, Bull (1958) and Dunsmore (1971) suggested that E. stiedai would be particularly important in kittens from litters born late in the breeding season. In our study situation, Twigg et al (1998) have shown that late-born kittens suffered increased mortality also. However, we could find no evidence that oocyst counts were higher in late-born kittens (Kruskal-Wallis tests, data not shown) or that coccidia were associated with this reduced survival, with the possible exception of E. media and E. intestinalis (Table IV).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

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Evaluation of the Association of Parasitism with Mortality of Wild European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) in Southwestern Australia

Hobbs

Twigg²,

Elliot³

et al. 1999

The Journal of Parasitology

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Abundances of the parasitic nematodes Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Passalurus ambiguus, and 8 Eimeria species were estimated by fecal egg and oocyst output in 12 discrete free-ranging populations of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in southwestern Australia. Comparisons of parasite egg and oocyst counts were made between those rabbits known to have survived at least 2 mo after fecal samples were collected and those rabbits that did not survive. There were significant negative relationships between parasite egg and oocyst counts and survival when all age groups and collection periods were pooled for several species of coccidia and for T. retortaeformis. However, when the same comparisons were made within rabbit age groups and within collection periods, there were very few significant differences even where sample sizes were quite large. The differences indicated by the pooled analysis for coccidia were most likely due to an uneven host age distribution with respect to survival, combined with an uneven distribution of the oocyst counts with rabbit age. The result for T. retortaeformis was similarly affected but by a seasonal pattern. Parasitism by nematodes and coccidia did not appear to be an important mortality factor in these rabbit populations, at least at the range of host densities we examined. This suggests that other factors must have been responsible for the observed pattern of density-dependent regulation in these rabbits.There is increasing interest in the role of infectious diseases in regulating their host populations. In order to regulate host populations, parasites must cause a decrease in survival, or fecundity, or both, and their abundance should increase with increasing host density at least over most of the range in abundance of their hosts (Scott and Dobson, 1989). Current population models for macroparasites contain assumptions that disease agents such as parasites increase host mortality (Anderson and May, 1979;Roberts et al., 1995), but there have been very few field studies that have tested this assumption (for discussion see Gulland [1995]).In 1992, a field experiment was established to measure the effect of reducing the fertility of female rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) on rabbit abundance. The experiment was carried out in the southwest of Western Australia . Twelve discrete rabbit populations were created by a combination of rabbit-proof fences and maintenance of buffer zones. Breeding stops (warrens) were confined to areas of native shrub habitat adjacent to the pasture where rabbits fed. Thus, the experimental rabbits were living under essentially natural conditions. All rabbits were live-trapped at 4-6 weekly intervals that allowed for repeated nondestructive sampling of parasite abundance by fecal egg counts. In contrast, most parasitological studies of wild mammal populations involve the destructive sampling of hosts for the determination of actual parasite numbers by postmortem (e.g., Dunsmore and Dudzinski, 1968;Gulland, 1992). Fecal egg counts are effec...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

“…Details of the study area, experimental design, and parasitological methods are given in Twigg et al (1998) and Hobbs et al (1999), respectively. Rabbit numbers were determined by live-trapping and represent the minimum number of animals known to be alive (MNKA) at the site for each collection period.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Association of Parasitism with Mortality of Wild European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) in Southwestern Australia

Hobbs

Twigg²,

Elliot³

et al. 1999

The Journal of Parasitology

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“…A detailed description of the study area and site layout is given in Twigg et al (1998). The 12 discrete rabbit populations were established at Wellstead in southern Western Australia (34¡31ЈS, 118¡35ЈE) in 1992 using a combination of rabbit-proof fencing and the maintenance (poisoning, shooting, and fumigation) of buffer zones with relatively few rabbits.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1). Wire cage live-traps with a treadle trigger were used with diced carrot as bait (see Twigg et al 1996). Trapping was undertaken for 4 consecutive nights with 3 sites trapped simultaneously.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spotlight counts, site fidelity and migration of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Twigg¹,

Lowe²,

Gray³

et al. 1998

Wildl. Res.

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Regardless of their sex and age, the persistence of 76 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) translocated onto 5 different sites with relatively low rabbit densities was identical to that of resident rabbits. Emigration and exploratory movements by rabbits from 12 discrete populations were positively correlated with rabbit density and mainly undertaken by adult rabbits. Adult males moved significantly more often and further than adult females. Two peaks in immigration were observed; a large peak (usually in January) immediately following the breeding season, and a second but smaller peak in March which preceded the start of the next breeding season. Again, significantly more adult males than females immigrated. The proportion of rabbits seen in spotlight counts was positively correlated with rabbit density, which suggests that biases in population estimates could result in some situations. No clear patterns on the effects of a variety of weather variables on spotlight counts could be established, but increasing rainfall, wind speed and moonlight may have reduced rabbit activity.

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“…This estimate was then used to inform the decision on bait application rates and scale the level of resourcing allocated to the detection and control of survivors. After rodents, rabbits were considered the next highest priority for implementation because of the species' propensity to breed rapidly (Twigg et al 1998) and change their behavior when threatened (Jaksic and Soriguer 1981;Lombardi et al 2003). Based on the results of previous operations (Micol and Jouventin 2002;Torr 2002) most rabbits but not all were expected to die as a result of primary poisoning.…”

Section: Rabbitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successful eradication of invasive vertebrates on Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands, New Zealand

Griffiths¹,

Buchanan²,

Broome³

et al. 2014

Biol Invasions

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An eradication program conducted on Rangitoto and Motutapu islands in New Zealand successfully removed stoats (Mustela erminea), cats (Felis catus), hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), mice (Musmusculus) and three species of rat (Rattus, R. exulans and R. norvegicus) from an area of 3,842 ha. The project was significant because it was completed so close to Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, but also, in contrast to many eradication projects, it targeted a suite of invasive mammals in a single operation. To achieve success and avoid conflict in the allocation of resources, target species were prioritized by likelihood of eradication success with resources allocated preferentially to species posing the greatest risk of failure and methods applied in a sequence that allowed each technique to capitalize on its predecessor. Consequences of applying this approach were increased operational efficiency, a shorter operation than planned and reduced project cost. When compared to other projects that targeted the same species but individually, we estimate the Rangitoto and Motutapu project to have cost less than 50 % of the total potential cost if each species had been removed in a discrete operation. Logistical efficiencies created by condensing several operations into one and the use of eradication and detection techniques that targeted multiple species are credited as having the greatest influence on the increased efficiencies observed.

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The ecology of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in coastal southern Western Australia

Cited by 27 publications

References 19 publications

Evaluation of the Association of Parasitism with Mortality of Wild European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) in Southwestern Australia

Evaluation of the Association of Parasitism with Mortality of Wild European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) in Southwestern Australia

Spotlight counts, site fidelity and migration of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Successful eradication of invasive vertebrates on Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands, New Zealand

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