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IlluminatedPickle t1_iwjgf2k wrote

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CleverNomDePlume t1_iwk1ell wrote

The story I heard (USA public education), about rabbits in Australia, was that they aren't native, and are a big problem with native ecosystems. I heard that some British governor imported them, so that he and his cronies could have their jolly, gentilemanly hunts.

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FrederickBishop t1_iwk4h9u wrote

Yep, same with foxes

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CleverNomDePlume t1_iwk5c7n wrote

I'm picturing this Gov'ner dude showing up and being like, "whatever shall I hunt to pass the time?" And then looks at the native wildlife, and is just like "nope" and then sends to daddy's estate to have foxes and bunnies shipped in.

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Swarbie8D t1_iwki3ij wrote

I mean, essentially yeah. I guess kangaroos and emus are too intimidating compared to the usual small game they hunted. Our troubles on the mainland (Tasmania had a rabbit problem first) stems from just 24 rabbits that were released. For a while they were kept under control by native predators but natural selection meant that they got hardier, until we had a population explosion. In the 1950s we deliberately spread a rabbit-killing virus, which worked for a bit, but they’ve adapted partial immunity to that now.

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Screamingholt t1_iwkm7t6 wrote

Heh, now they get given rabbit aids/Ebola. And as horrible as that may sound, is still only making a dent in their population

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IlluminatedPickle t1_iwl343j wrote

Don't forget that the Americans had a Shakespeare based animal society that introduced a lot of stupid things like starlings to North America that now devastate regions.

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mickelboy182 t1_iwkpn23 wrote

I'm an Aussie and had no idea owning them was banned in QLD. Wild!

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IlluminatedPickle t1_iwkpqdy wrote

I found it wild when I moved to WA and people just didn't give a shit. They were like "oh look at that cute little wild rabbit!"

"uhhh you mean terrible invasive species we should want to kill on sight, right?"

"... You monster!"

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mickelboy182 t1_iwkq371 wrote

I'm in Victoria and they are fucking EVERYWHERE around my parents place in the outer burbs. Good thing is they are suicidal on the roads and end up getting run over by accident (and sometimes not I'm sure) a lot.

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IlluminatedPickle t1_iwkq9ei wrote

Yeah, it's wild in a few states how lacking the feral/invasive control is.

WA had foxes just roaming through my suburb in Perth, you'd call the council and they were like "and?"

"and they're eating all the fucking turtle eggs you wankers are spending my tax dollars trying to protect, fucking shoot them"

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