Background
The introduction of myxomatosis 50 years ago was a milestone in a formerly hopeless battle against the wild rabbit. The economic benefits of fewer rabbits were immediately obvious and the ecological impact of rabbits slowly became clear.

The desire to keep rabbit numbers low was generally maintained and indeed fuelled the development of State rabbit control schemes, the development of efficient chemical and mechanical control methods and the introduction of two species of rabbit fleas from Europe to help spread the myxoma virus.

As a result of rabbit calicivirus, rabbits are presently at low levels in many regions, and some people believe they are no longer a problem. However even small numbers of rabbits present a threat to conservation because they prevent regeneration of native pastures and other vegetation in arid regions. Rabbits also continue to support populations of important predators like foxes and cats. Keeping rabbit numbers low also helps to insure against recurring economic loss and the possibility that rabbits will recover their numbers quickly if they develop resistance to rabbit calicivirus.

It can be argued that rabbit numbers should be kept low and pushed to even lower levels if possible.

Introduction
An Australian meeting called the Rabbit Control Forum - the next 50 years was held on 25 October 2001 to discuss the future of rabbit control in Australia.

The forum aimed to:

 
  • Review the current rabbit situation in Australia,
 
  • Update stakeholders on developing technologies for rabbit control,
 
  • Identify and prioritise research for reducing agricultural and environmental damage caused by rabbits, and
 
  • Consider the best approaches for coordinating and progressing rabbit control and research in Australia.

Eighty people representing farmers, researchers, policy makers, industry and animal welfare representatives and State and Commonwealth management agencies took part in the forum.

At the forum dinner Professor Frank Fenner spoke about the scientific and political challenges of introducing myxoma virus into rabbits in the 1950s. He also considered these against the situation today where many more legislative safeguards regulate the introduction of new biological control agents.

This forum was held 100 years after building began of the famous 3,256 km-long rabbit-proof fence in Western Australia, and 50 years after myxomatosis was established in rabbit populations in Australia. It was organised by the Cooperative Research Centre for the Biological Control of Pest Animals (PAC CRC) in conjunction with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and the Bureau of Rural Sciences.