Effect of Severe Drought on Rabbit Numbers and Distribution in a Refuge Area in Semiarid North-western New South Wales

Abstract

During severe drought in north-western New South Wales populations of rabbits in sandy habitats are restricted to certain warrens, which are located in light sandy and gravelly soils in protected and elevated positions close to food supplies in major drainage channels and swamps. Warrens in less favourable localities become completely covered by drifting sand. After rain the unfavourable areas become more favourable and are recolonized by rabbits which open the old, buried warrens. Foxes are less able to excavate the permanently occupied warrens in the more favourable habitats, apparently because of their depth. The more evanescent warrens in less favourable areas show evidence of far more predation by foxes on nestling rabbits. The importance of these findings for rabbit control in the arid zone is discussed.