Abstract
The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.)) in Australia inhabits a wide range of environments from alpine to arid. Although most of the rabbit's range has an average annual rainfall of less than 750 mm it has successfully colonized river valleys and forest fringes in the higher rainfall area of south-eastern Australia. In this area rabbits impose an erratic but occasionally severe grazing pressure on pastures and on native plants. An inter-departmental impact study on the construction of a dam at Dartmouth, which is in a high rainfall area in Victoria, included the investigation of rabbit populations in the valley of the Mitta Mitta River which is reported here. The primary aim of the work was to determine whether distinct sub-populations were likely to be present and, if so, to differentiate them on the basis of readily observed parameters. Initial investigations suggested that differences related to environment did occur. This paper reports on the occurrence of sub-populations and on several parameters which were used to distinguish them.
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