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In Australia and New Zealand, the word “rabbit” is synonymous with “pest.” Commercial rabbit rising has been severely limited by regulations forbidding growing of rabbits, because of widespread fear of the results should the animals escape. The reasoning behind this is that wild rabbits have been a major scourge in Australia and New Zealand, causing tremendous damage to crops and pastures and often severe soil erosion of the denuded areas (Fig. 2.4). Often overlooked is the fact that the animal responsible is the European wild rabbit, not the domestic rabbit.

Fig. 2.4. Wild rabbits are major pests in Australia and New Zealand. The ecological damage that high populations of wild rabbits can cause and their high reproductive potential can be appreciated from this image. (Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia)

In 1980, the government of New Zealand, after extensive study, approved legislation permitting the raising of domestic rabbits. Following this, there was a flurry of activity involving importation of Rex rabbits and an attempt to establish a Rex fur industry. This program seems to have faltered. In Australia there are periodic attempts to establish large commercial rabbitries, but so far without success. The prospect for increased domestic rabbit production in these countries seems limited.