10,000 years ago - the impact of people
Pesky bunnies
In 1858, a few European Rabbits were released in Ballarat, Victoria. Sixty years later, European Rabbits had infested four million square kilometres of Australia. They continued to spread and soon occupied almost all areas of the continent except the wetter parts of the tropics. Even though large numbers of rabbits have been killed by viral diseases (myxomatososis and calicivirus) and by commercial harvesting (for the felt hat industry), they remain one of Australia's greatest pests.
European Rabbit
