|
Authorities satisfied with progress of rabbit cull |
|
Tuesday, 02 December 2008 |
A month after the operation to cull rabbits on Robben Island began, Robben Island Museum (RIM) management has confirmed that they are satisfied with the progress being made and the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA has confirmed that the process to date has been cruelty-free.
Representatives from RIM, CoGH SPCA, the State Vet and an independent advisor met yesterday (1 December) to review the progress of the culling operation. All parties agreed that the chosen method of trapping, capture and euthanase (via lethal injection) is showing good results and should be continued.
Seelan Naidoo, Interim CEO of Robben Island Museum said that because this was the first time that a culling operation of this nature has been undertaken, there is no benchmark against which to measure success to date. He said that whilst the numbers had been low in the first two weeks, as the teams became more proficient and the trap sites improved, so the numbers steadily rose. As of 1 December 2008, 1 536 rabbits have been culled, of which the majority are female.
“We are satisfied with the numbers culled to date and remain committed to the process and will continue until it has been determined that the majority of the population has been culled. We are convinced that this is the most humane and pragmatic approach”, he said.
The team of state vet technicians, overseeing veterinarians, and SPCA monitors will continue to carry out the culling operation until just before Christmas. They will take a break between Christmas and New Year and then resume in early January for at least another month. As the rabbits are most active during the cooler part of the day, the team works between 4pm and 2am each day, and therefore their impact on the other island activities has been minimal.
Allan Perrins, CEO of the CoGH SPCA said that the society was pleased that the State Vet had sent in a team of technicians, whose proficient animal handling skills had helped ensure that no animals suffered any harm during the process.
Mr Naidoo confirmed that they would also be engaging with experts from UCT to assist them in better determining the size of the rabbit population on the island. “Whilst we have always been certain that there is a massive over-population based on recent studies and the obvious impact on the ecology, we want to get a more qualified estimate of how many rabbits remain on the island”, he said.
Ends
Issued jointly by Robben Island Museum, Cape of Good Hope SPCA and the State Veterinarian. For further information please contact Shaun Davis, RIM on 021 - 411 1930; 083 643 3518 or Sarah Scarth, CoGH SPCA on 021 700 4154 or 083 271 3768
Notes to the Editor
Following an intensive consultation process, RIM authorities took a decision in October to cull the rabbits on the island in an effort to avert an ecological crisis, as a result of severe rabbit overpopulation.
While the precise number of rabbits is unknown, the current population is so large that it threatens to permanently damage the Island’s sensitive vegetation, and poses a serious threat to other fauna species, both alien and indigenous.
They also threaten historical buildings and heritage sites on the Island. Unchecked, the large number of rabbits in an environment without much natural water would result in the harrowing death of many rabbits through starvation and thirst over the coming dry season.
After considering all the options available within the regulatory framework, a decision was made by RIM to implement a two-pronged approach that aims, firstly, to relieve stress on the Island’s ecosystem through a humane culling programme, and, secondly, to sustain a small, manageable population of rabbits through a sterilisation programme over the longer term. The programmes will be carried out by Robben Island Museum in partnership with veterinary experts from the SPCA, the State Vet and other qualified practitioners and volunteers.
On 1 November the island was closed for two weeks to among other issues, enable the appointed teams of veterinarians, volunteers and SPCA monitors to set up the traps and begin the culling process.
The female European rabbit becomes sexually active at four months. The female (doe) rabbit comes into season by the mere presence of a male (buck). The gestation period is around 31 days and the doe rabbit gives birth to between 7 and 10 kits (baby rabbits).
Ends |
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >> |
|
Page 8 of 10 |
