The Otago Regional Council (ORC) wants to get Albert Town residents’ say on rabbits in the suburb, which it calls a “hotspot”.

“Parts of Albert Town have rabbit issues and it is one of a number of hotspots where ORC is working to facilitate cooperative, landowner-led rabbit management,” ORC biosecurity and rural liaison manager Andrea Howard said.

The regional council is holding a drop-in session on Friday (May 7) to understand how rabbits are affecting residents, as part of a wider project to help facilitate better rabbit management. 

Like many other areas in the region, Albert Town has fast transitioned from rural to urban, which brings with it unique rabbit management issues.

“Central Otago has had significant growth in residential housing developments in recent years, and as the footprint of towns increase, rabbit populations have either been displaced or now require management by a much larger group of people compared to traditional, larger farming properties that once occupied the land,” Andrea said.

The ORC plans to work with residents on rabbit management following a trial of a similar programme in Clyde last year. PHOTO: Supplied

She said it was more difficult for landowners to get a good handle on rabbits in areas like Albert Town because it requires coordination across a number of properties.

The area which the rabbit management programme covers will depend on landowner participation, Andrea said.

“We are focusing on the Albert Town area at the moment due to the number of reports of rabbit issues in the area and willingness from the community to develop solutions.”

The project follows a collaborative approach to rabbit management trialled in Clyde last year, which involved facilitating a rabbit control operation across a large area of private and public land.

The ORC is looking to reproduce similar approaches this year in Lake Hayes as well as Albert Town, as well as in other rabbit-prone areas around Otago. 

“Our efforts will be focused on supporting communities to develop longer term solutions for effective, collaborative, rabbit management,” Andrea said.

The ORC drop-in session will take place on Friday (May 7) between 3-8pm at the Riverside Park community facility at 2 Heron Green. Residents can also have their say by filling in this survey.