Rabbit Disease

[grompz 706]

just been talking to a mate,about the dramatic decline in various parts of the country of the rabbit population,i stated my opinions on this problem on this forum several months ago,iknow that rhd has done alot of damage to the rabbit. these last few years,but now my mate reckons there is a stronger strain of disease wiping them out.im no expert on these matters but would be intrested toknow the name of this new strain,and where it originated from,is it linked to domestic rabbitand how lethal is it.

[gamerooster 1,179]

http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/advisorynotes/31/31.htm

 

Have a read of this mate, may answer a few of your questions

[trigger2 3,602]

imo night vision and riffles play a fare part in the decline aswell mate.

[tsteve9999 456]

Me too Trigger, 5 years ago I was running my dog on 20-30 rabbits a night on one permission, they let rifles on there and I'd be lucky to see a couple now

[neil cooney 10,416]

I'm pretty sure RHD is present around here. Haven't seen it yet myself but folk are asking me why is there rabbits looking sick around their fields without the signs of myxi or they're asking where did all the rabbits suddenly go ?

As bad as it is to loose the fantastic rabbit what's very worrying is that they've now proven that rabbits have passed on one of the RHD viruses to a Hare.

For the hare population to suffer anymore would be terrible.

[king 12,038]

I think it could be on my permision aswell.yrs ago you would see 20 to 30 rabbits and that was at midday.plus the same amount walking the hedgerow.

Went on again last week with gaz ferreting. and dug 1 and bolted 1.

The place is totally dead.holes everywere but no rabbits.

Very strange.

[grompz 706]

many thanks lads for your replies and thanks game rooster for info very intresting reading,what neil cooney says about hares contacting this disease seems to me to ring true places miles from any where have a real notceable decline in hares of late, i fully agree that night shooting has adramatic effect on rabbit numbers,so if no rabbits to shoot start on the hares,butfor rabbits to disappear allover the country it is a very worrying time for true hunting folk,if it carries on the lurcher, terrier and ferret will be consigned to the history books and show bench god forbid.

[slipper 116]

Same here in parts of Shropshire used to be loads about the other night I was foxing and didn't see a single rabbit