UVic Management Plan Establishes Rabbit-Free And Rabbit-Control Areas

The University of Victoria’s new long-term Feral Rabbit Management Plan establishes rabbit-free zones on campus and an area where a sustainable population of feral rabbits can remain.

The areas outside of Ring Road will be designated as rabbit-free zones. Feral rabbits will be removed from those areas over the next year through a combination of humane trapping/euthanasia and community-arranged sterilization and relocation to Ministry of Environment-authorized facilities that community organizations can arrange.

A rabbit control zone will be established within Ring Road and divided into four quadrants, with each quadrant supporting a population of about 50 feral rabbits. It is likely rabbits will have to be removed from this area as well to reduce the population to the proposed level.

“We will direct our initial attention to the rabbit free zones to remove the feral rabbit population in those areas that are adjacent to our neighbours and where property damage and safety hazards are greatest,” says Tom Smith, UVic’s executive director of facilities management.

“In advance of the plan’s release, we contacted community organizations and individuals who had previously indicated that they might be able to provide sanctuary space or other solutions for relocating the rabbits from these zones. We have already been approached by one Ministry of Environment-authorized facility willing to take 20 rabbits.

“In the coming weeks we will assess the capacity of interested organizations to accept specific numbers of sterilized rabbits and their ability to obtain the necessary permits to do so. UVic has developed requirements to help community members and organizations with sanctioned facilities to relocate rabbits. We have also posted information about the Ministry of Environment application process on our rabbit information website at www.uvic.ca/rabbits.”

The plan also introduces the option to incorporate a trap/sterilize/release or vasectomy option into the management program for the rabbit-control zone when the focus shifts to that part of campus in 2011.

“UVic will entertain proposals from the public and on-campus volunteers for assistance with the rabbit-control zone and for the establishment of feeding stations,” says Smith. “If no individual volunteers or organizations come forward at that time, the university will have to reassess its approach to managing the rabbit control area.”

 Read the feral rabbit management plan.

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