Rabbits in Australia

The import of wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to Australia, and the resulting species depletion, is generally attributed to Thomas Austin (1815–1871) from near Geelong, Victoria. Austin arranged a special shipment of wild English rabbits, which, when released, immediately thrived.

The rabbit population increased by millions and spread across most of the continent. They competed with native species for food and burrows, caused the decline of trees and bushes, and left erosion and soil degradation in their wake. Public concern, however, focused more on economic implications than on environmental loss.

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Further Readings: 
  • Griffiths, Tom, and Libby Robin, eds. Ecology and Empire: Environmental History of Settler Societies. Edinburgh: Keele University Press, 1997.
  • McNeill, John R., ed. Environmental History in the Pacific World. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001.
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1859