Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 Summer 2024-2025 Release Program

The LBG is facilitating its annual summer Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 (K5) Release Program with participating landholders across its operational area, including the northern localities of the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire, Shires of Capel and Dardanup and the City of Bunbury. This program will run from mid-January with targeted releases anticipated through March 2025. 

The LBG’s annual summer Calicivirus RHDV1-K5 (K5) Release Program with participating landholders across our operational area will run from mid-January 2025 with targeted releases anticipated through March. 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.

Participant Workshops

• At least four participant workshops will be conducted to provide details rabbit control guidance and details of this summer’s program.
• Workshop locations and dates to be announced soon.

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 on 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 faciliate 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.

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