UVic Concludes Rabbit Pilot Project

The University of Victoria has concluded its pilot project with the wildlife damage control company Common Ground to test the feasibility of capturing, sterilizing, and finding new homes for a set number of the feral rabbits from areas in and around its playing fields—an area designated as a rabbit-free zone.

“This pilot project provided an opportunity to test a multi-faceted approach to rabbit management,” says Richard Piskor, director of UVic’s Office of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment. “We had some successes and we learned some valuable lessons through carrying out this project.”

The project determined that it was relatively easy to humanely capture rabbits, recruit volunteers and engage veterinarians to sterilize the rabbits. A total of 51 rabbits were captured but, unfortunately, Common Ground was unable to relocate the rabbits to several area sanctuaries as originally planned. As there were limited other options for these rabbits, Common Ground was permitted to release 40 of the sterilized rabbits back on campus.

“The contractor did not reach our target goal of capturing, sterilizing and relocating 150 rabbits,” says Piskor. “This project demonstrated the complexities involved in managing wildlife and that simply expanding the pilot program is not likely to achieve our longer term objectives for feral rabbit management.”

The sterilized rabbits, whose ears were tattooed as part of the project, were released in an area on campus away from the rabbit-free zones and residential areas. Their behaviour will be monitored as they attempt to re-establish themselves with existing colonies.

Based on what it learned through the pilot project, UVic will continue to work with the Ministry of Environment and the BCSPCA on a long-term plan to reduce and manage the feral rabbit population on campus. The university will continue to support ongoing efforts by the BCSPCA to encourage local governments to toughen up their bylaws dealing with rabbit abandonment and to consider banning the sale of unspayed and unneutered rabbits, except to registered or licensed breeders. UVic’s feral rabbits are pets or descendants of pets that were abandoned on campus by members of the community.

 

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