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AN EXPERIMENT IN RABBIT CONTROL
Author(s) -
PHILLIPS WINIFRED M.
Publication year - 1955
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1955.tb02474.x
Subject(s) - biology , rabbit (cipher) , statistics , mathematics
A successful experiment in rabbit control was carried out over one year on a 300‐acre farm in Pembrokeshire. The control measures adopted were trapping, gassing and ferreting, in that order. Information on rabbit density was based primarily on counts of rabbit holes and on the number of animals caught. Observations were made on the breeding state and sex ratio of the population. Successful control was attributed to the persistent application of a variety of methods, and not to any one method in particular. Gassing was equally efficient on high and low rabbit populations; the three methods of application, namely pumping, spooning and a combination of both, were found to be equally effective. Re‐infestation occurred, but was checked to some extent by trapping around the boundary. The breeding season appeared to extend from January to June, inclusive. The sex ratio was biased in favour of females throughout the experiment. An almost even sex ratio was observed in embryos.