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Rabbits were brought to Australia on the First Fleet but, for whatever reason, they did not breed prolifically or cause any problems for the first few years of the colony's settlement. A farmer named Thomas Austin who had a property in Winchelsea, Victoria, is credited with introducing rabbits into Australia, leading to their current plague proportions. Austin was a member of the Acclimatisation Society, a group which believed in introducing exotic species into new locations around the world. In October 1859, Austin imported 21 European rabbits for hunting, releasing them on Christmas Day that year. Within a short period of time, it became evident that Victoria provided the ideal climate for the rabbits to breed and become a national pest.

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15y ago

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Related Questions

Who had the worst disease in Australia?

rabbits


Who released rabbits to Australia?

Englush settler Thomas Austin was responsible for releasing the rabbits that have caused the rabbit plague in mainland Australia.


European Rabbits were introduced into Australia cuz there cool that way?

European rabbits were introduced into Australia on the first fleet and that solves your Question


Are rabbits in Australia endangered?

Not at all. Unfortunately.


What animals in Australia eat rabbits?

rabbit


Are European rabbits extinct?

No, unfortunately. European rabbits, an entirely introduced species in Australia, continue to devastate the countryside, creating an ecological disaster in Australia.


Why aren't rabbits found in the north of Australia?

They are. Rabbits are found throughout Australia. They have adapted very well to the country, and have caused considerable damage to the environment.


What allowed rabbits to spread so quickly in Australia?

the rabbits had a high tolerance for the abiotic factors in australia


Are rabbits indigenous to Australia?

Rabbits are not indigenous to Australia. They have been introduced to the continent, and have caused untold ecological damage since they were let loose in Victoria in the 1850s.


Why did the first fleet bring rabbits to Australia?

1. There is no such thing as an "Australian rabbit". Rabbits were introduced to Australia. 2. Rabbits were not "transported". Transportation was the punishment given to people who had committed crimes. However, rabbits were brought to Australia on the First Fleet as a food source.


What animal import has been a pest in Australia?

Rabbits.


Are rabbits native Australian animals?

Definitely not. Rabbits are introduced, and have since caused an ecological disaster in Australia. They were brought to Australia on the First Fleet but, for whatever reason, they did not breed prolifically or cause any problems for the first few years of the colony's settlement. They only began to cause problems after a farmer named Thomas Austin introduced rabbits into Australia on his property at Winchelsea, Victoria, leading to their current plague proportions.