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

Feral rabbits have been a part of the University of Victoria campus for many years. These rabbits are descendants of non-sterilized pet rabbits abandoned on campus by members of the community.

Over the past few years, UVic has launched a number of initiatives in an attempt to bring the rabbit population under control.

•In September 2008, UVic launched a public awareness campaign using posters, campus signage and a website to discourage people from abandoning pet rabbits on campus, and feeding, touching or harassing the rabbits. It had little effect on peoples’ behaviour.

•In September 2009, UVic issued a request for proposals for a pilot project to trap, sterilize and adopt a minimum of 150 rabbits from a designated area that included the university playing fields. The area was chosen because of the health and safety hazard presented by the rabbits burrowing and leaving feces on the fields. UVic received only one proposal in response.

•In December 2009, UVic announced that wildlife damage control company Common Ground would test non-lethal approaches to remove at least 150 rabbits from in, and around, the university’s athletic fields. The project involved live capture, removal from campus, sterilization and relocation of rabbits to off-campus facilities.

•In March 2010, UVic announced that it had concluded its pilot project. A total of 51 rabbits were captured but when the potential sanctuaries balked at Ministry of Environment inspection and permitting processes, Common Ground was unable to relocate the rabbits as originally planned. One rabbit was euthanized due to poor health, nine of the baby rabbits born to pregnant rabbits were adopted, 48 rabbits were sterilized and two had already been spayed. 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.

•In May 2010, UVic began a limited cull in the area of the playing fields to deal with the immediate health and safety concerns and announced that a long-term feral rabbit management plan would be released by the end of June.