Rabbit virus

[Tonka60]

Sad to say but it looks like this sudden death virus is in my area. Found a healthy looking dead rabbit at the side of a field. This area used to be over run with bunnies. Sad to say they're almost non existent now.
This will have an impact on many other species, foxes and buzzards for sure. Is this a man made virus ?

[lensman57]

Sad to say but it looks like this sudden death virus is in my area. Found a healthy looking dead rabbit at the side of a field. This area used to be over run with bunnies. Sad to say they're almost non existent now.
This will have an impact on many other species, foxes and buzzards for sure. Is this a man made virus ?

I believe that it is a naturally occurring virus but it has been used by man in the past to control the Rabbit poulation as it is believed that it only affects the European Rabbit. But isn't this what they used to say about the mad cow disease?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit...rhagic_disease

A.G

[Vermin Al]

In my area the rabbit population was decimated last year - with no signs of recovery.

[Tonka60]

A big loss to hunters, who in the grand scheme of things are very low in the pecking order.
Even Rabbit Fanciers are having it hard , with vaccines costsing around £80 each, imagine having a dozen or more.

I'm not into shooting large of Rabbits numbers just to put a picture up. But it looks like this virus is going to wipe out 90% of all our Rabbits, so these days may be over.
The remaining 10% could be wiped out as maximattossis will still be around occasionally and all the other predators, air gunners included will still be here.

Is it possible that a protection order will be pasted for 5 years or so ?
If your lucky enough not to have this in your area , be prepared as it has a grip and is creeping round the UK.
It'll take years and years if ever for the rabbits to get over this, if ever.
Anyone have any ideas ?

[lensman57]

A big loss to hunters, who in the grand scheme of things are very low in the pecking order.
Even Rabbit Fanciers are having it hard , with vaccines costsing around £80 each, imagine having a dozen or more.

I'm not into shooting large of Rabbits numbers just to put a picture up. But it looks like this virus is going to wipe out 90% of all our Rabbits, so these days may be over.
The remaining 10% could be wiped out as maximattossis will still be around occasionally and all the other predators, air gunners included will still be here.

Is it possible that a protection order will be pasted for 5 years or so ?
If your lucky enough not to have this in your area , be prepared as it has a grip and is creeping round the UK.
It'll take years and years if ever for the rabbits to get over this, if ever.
Anyone have any ideas ?

Have a read of my post " Honest opinions please Dont be rude " in the none airgun section. It deals with my concernes regarding a drastic reduction in the number of the " pests " around my area.

A.G

[angrybear]

A big loss to hunters, who in the grand scheme of things are very low in the pecking order.
Even Rabbit Fanciers are having it hard , with vaccines costsing around £80 each, imagine having a dozen or more.

I'm not into shooting large of Rabbits numbers just to put a picture up. But it looks like this virus is going to wipe out 90% of all our Rabbits, so these days may be over.
The remaining 10% could be wiped out as maximattossis will still be around occasionally and all the other predators, air gunners included will still be here.

Is it possible that a protection order will be pasted for 5 years or so ?
If your lucky enough not to have this in your area , be prepared as it has a grip and is creeping round the UK.
It'll take years and years if ever for the rabbits to get over this, if ever.
Anyone have any ideas ?

Rabbits are pests/vermin so it's highly unlikely they will be afforded any form of protection

The fact that they are a prime hunting species is by the by.

[Steyr]

I do not believe the rabbit is a native species of the UK anyway.

RVHD is a disease that at the moment has a high mortality. Mixamatosis had a similar footprint.

Time will tell

[TonyL]

Poor bunnies.

No doubt, amidst all this, Rattus Norvegicus will continue to thrive and multiply.

[Gavlar]

Decades ago, mixy decimated the rabbit population. It still rears its ugly head every now and then but because rabbits breed so fast, as soon as there are a few that develope natural immunity then the population will rise again. My guess is this may well happen with VHD as well. Time will tell.