Rabbits in parts of Otago are at their highest levels in more than a decade.
A good breeding season and an Otago Regional Council report back up the "consensus" that the population in the province is greater than at any time since the rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus was introduced in 1997.
The council has been undertaking its annual rabbit surveys throughout Otago and will present its preliminary findings to its compliance committee today as part of its annual biosecurity monitoring report.
So far, the latest survey had shown a large increase, of about 60,000ha, in the amount of land in Otago with rabbits exceeding their regional pest management strategy "maximum allowable limit", the report said.
Compiled by senior environmental officers Steve Price and Richard Lord, it added: "The breeding season has been very good for rabbits, with little rainfall in Central Otago since May 2009."
It continued the trend seen in the past five years and reflected the "general consensus" that rabbit numbers were increasing and were at their highest levels since RHD arrived in 1997.
"Considerably more land is, or will be expected to be, in breach which will require more concentrated control methods in 2010-11," , the report said.
Most of the breaches were in Central Otago, Teviot Valley, Taieri hills, Otago Peninsula, Queenstown Lakes and the Waitaki District (the Pigroot).
Rabbit control was planned this winter for more than 4500ha in Central Otago and 1000ha in North Otago.
A poisoning operation covering 1600ha in the Taieri hills was also being organised.
While RHD was still evident on the Taieri hills, field observations inland indicated the impact of the virus continued to lessen.
"For many properties, RHD is currently having minimal impact on reducing rabbit levels."
Landowners in breach of prescribed limits were being asked to supply an approved management plan with help from council staff.
Most had been approved, but two had been returned as the methods for controlling rabbits would not, in the council's opinion, get rabbit numbers down sufficiently.
One operation proposed in North Otago is an aerial drop of bait laced with 1080 and pindone poisons, covering 210ha in the Livingstone area and the upper Awamoko Creek catchment.
It still requires final approval from Public Health South.
The drop is being carried out privately by the farmers, not as a result of trigger levels being exceeded.
