Over the past two years, there has been an increase in the number of rabbits on Canterbury farms now immune to the natural Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease, or Calicivirus.
Annual figures collected at the end of each Spring show the McKenzie Basin, Amuri and the Ashburton Hill Country arethree areas where rabbit numbers are rising. In some places there are now more rabbits than before the disease was introduced.
Environment Canterbury biosecurity team leader Brent Glentworth says over the region, there has been an average increase of two rabbits per square kilometre.
Mr Glentworth says they are telling farmers to take rabbit control seriously as there are now a lot more rabbits in parts of Canterbury.
