What appeared to be an innocent Christmas present, 24 English rabbits, in 1859 would become Australia’s “most devastating biological invasion”, according to a new study by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Wild rabbits are not native to Australia and are considered an invasive species. Farmers say the animals multiply rapidly and destroy their crops and land, which can lead to massive soil erosion and other environmental problems.
“Biological invasions are a major cause of environmental and economic problems,” the researchers wrote.
“The colonization of Australia by the European rabbit is one of the most iconic and devastating biological invasions in recorded history.”
Using historical accounts, the researchers were able to piece together genetic evidence linking this invasion to English rabbits imported in 1859 by a settler named Thomas Austin, tracing the population back to Austin’s birthplace in England.
According to records, Austin started out with just 24 rabbits on his sprawling Melbourne estate. But within three years, the animals had multiplied by the thousands — and continued to reproduce, the researchers noted.
“Our findings show that despite numerous introductions to Australia, it was a single batch of English rabbits that triggered this devastating biological invasion – the effects of which are still felt today,” said lead author Joel Alves, also a researcher at the University of Oxford.
“That single event triggered this massive catastrophe in Australia; the fastest colonization rate for an introduced mammal ever recorded.”
Although Austin was not the first person to introduce rabbits to Australia – five of the animals were aboard the First Fleet of British ships that arrived in Sydney in 1788 and at least 90 more imports were made over the next 70 years – it was the descendant of his 24 rabbits that would come to dominate the continent, according to the study.
The study concluded that nearly all of Australia’s 200 million wild rabbits can be attributed to the fateful gift received in 1859.
“Environmental change may have made Australia vulnerable to invasion,” the researchers said. “But it was the genetic makeup of a small group of wild rabbits that triggered one of the most iconic biological invasions of all time.”
The researchers also studied how the rabbit population managed to survive and thrive in the wilds of Australia.
Genetic analysis revealed that, unlike earlier Australian rabbits, which had domesticated traits like “meekness, floppy ears and colorful fur,” the rabbits descended from Austin’s litter had a large amount of wild ancestry.
“If animals are bred for domestication, one of the missing things is anti-predator behavior, which is learned as well as evolved,” said study co-author Mike Letnic of the University of New South Wales.
Rabbits considered pests have occurred several times in parts of Australia for decades. The continent is still struggling with its wild rabbit population today.
The report, the researchers said, showed the importance of maintaining stringent biosecurity in Australia.
“These findings are important because biological invasions are a major threat to global biodiversity, and if you want to prevent them, you need to understand what makes them successful,” the researchers said.
“The event serves as a reminder that the actions of just one person, or a few people, can have a devastating environmental impact.”
Source: CNN Brasil
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