Australia's rabbit plague traced to 24 imported animals in 1859

Australia's devastating rabbit plague, which continues to impact the continent, can be traced back to a single shipment of 24 rabbits released in 1859. A 2022 genetic study confirmed that nearly the entire current population originates from this initial introduction by landowner Thomas Austin.

Austin, an Englishman living in Australia, requested his brother in England send rabbits for hunting on his Barwon Park estate. The shipment included both domestic and wild rabbits. Upon their release in late 1859, the rabbits multiplied at an astonishing rate. Their descendants quickly escaped the estate and began spreading across southeastern Australia.

The invasion front advanced at an average of about 100 kilometers per year, eventually colonizing a vast portion of the continent. Researchers consider this expansion one of the fastest known mammal introductions by humans. The rabbits have since devastated pastures and agricultural lands, profoundly impacting native ecosystems.

For over a century, Australian authorities have employed various methods to control the rabbit population. These efforts have included hunting, poisoning, constructing thousands of kilometers of fences, and introducing specific diseases to curb their numbers. The genetic analysis, which examined rabbits from Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, France, and Britain, strongly supports the historical accounts of the invasion's origin.

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Researchers have concluded that the rabbit invasion, which continues in Australia today, began when Austin released the initial shipment of 24 rabbits on his property.