Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 Release Program Summer 2024-2025

Registration remains open to landholders within the Leschenault Biosecurity Group’s Operational Area for participation in our final releases of our summer 2024-2025 Rabbit Control Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 Release Program.

The LBG annually conducts a summer Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 (K5) Release Program with participating landholders across our operational area. The more people that participate, the more effective the program will be. Rabbits reproduce very effectively, and complete elimination of rabbits is close to impossible. With community members working together, significant decrease in numbers can be achieved.

Thanks to the many landholders across our operational area, a few beyond, who did the hard yards to maximise effectiveness of their participation in our Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 (K5) Release Program. In collaboration with private landholders who registered for this program, targeted releases were conducted on the 3rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of February 2025.

April Date for Final Release to be Announced: We will conduct a final release this year with registered landholders within our Operational Area in April, contingent upon:

available virus supply
suitable dry weather conditions relative to maintaining efficacy of the virus delivered in inoculated oats

Participation in our April 2025 release will be limited to properties within the LBG Operational Area and contingent upon available supply.

LBG Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 Release Program – Participant Information

Program Participation

Registration is required
Must be landholder or manager for property on which virus will be released
Must be able to conduct feeding site selection and pre-feeding phase of this program on your property
Landholders of properties within LBG Operational Area rated by the State for a Declared Pest Rate (DPR) may participate in this program at no additional cost, while virus supply lasts
Participation for properties not rated by the State for a DPR or outside of the LBG operational area may participate for a fee for virus and related costs
Participation by fee is available if virus supply permits relative to demand from DPR rated landholders within the LBG operational area

Calicivirus “K5″releases are part of an integrated approach to optimise control of feral rabbits.

Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 is a very helpful, effective rabbit bio-control tool, but NOT a “silver bullet”. The virus provides an important tool for suppressing pest rabbit numbers throughout the landscape, reducing the substantial impact pest rabbits have on both agricultural production and the environment. While the “K5” releases won’t eliminate all rabbits, they do provide for a significant reduction in rabbit population, hopefully better enabling landholders the ability to implement other rabbit control strategies around their property. The key to success for effective rabbit control is persistence. “One-off” efforts produce only short-term results as rabbit populations can recover quickly even after successful control programs. As is well known, rabbits reproduce very effectively; complete elimination of rabbits is close to impossible. Persistence and integration of varied tools and methods to best address property-specific circumstances is key to effective rabbit control.

Virus Release Process: LBG team members are accredited to mix the virus and inoculate a medium to facilitate targeted virus releases. LBG uses clipped oats for this purpose. The virus will remain active in the oats for a short time after inoculation so planning happens beforehand to pre-arrange collection dates and times for participants to receive their pre-determined quantity of virus inoculated oats on ‘Release Day.

Calicivirus RHDV1 K5 (“K5” Strain of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus) is species-specific
This virus, used across the country as a biocontrol tool for rabbit management, specifically and only affects rabbits. Other species, including pets that ingest infected rabbits, or birds or other wildlife that may ingest virus inoculated oats, or spreading mediums, are not affected by this virus.

Participant Workshops
Thanks to the many community members who participated in one of our free workshops got insight into the LBG’s Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 Release Program and tailored guidance to maximise the effectiveness of their participation in this program. Conducted workshops included:

5:30pm – 6:30pm, Monday, 10 February 2025, Dardanup Hall, 19 Ferguson Rd, Dardanup WA
5:30pm – 6:30pm Tuesday,11 February 2025, Capel Community Centre, 31 Forrest Rd, Capel WA
5:30pm – 6:30pm, Monday, 6 January 2025, Donnybrook Memorial Hall, 1 Bentley St, Donnybrook WA

Pet and Domestic Rabbit Owners: A vaccine that protects domestic rabbits against this strain is available and strongly recommended for pet rabbits in the release region. It is important however to clarify that other strains not protected by the vaccine can also be present in the region. Information for Owners of PET & DOMESTIC rabbits

For more information about this virus, please click on link below: WA Dept of Agriculture Rabbit Control: RHDV1 K5