Non-cruelty eradication of european rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from a small mediterranean island (Isola delle Femmine, Italy)

Abstract

European rabbit is, among mammals, one of the most widespread species almost worldwide, introduced on over 800 islands. In microinsular habitats, the introduction of alien species represents a major threat to biodiversity, and the European rabbit is included in the IUCN published list of the 100 worst invasive species. In 2008, an eradication plan was launched on “Isola delle Femmine”, a small and uninhabited island of about 14.5 ha, located in the Mediterranean basin and established as a nature reserve in 1997 to protect its flora and vegetation. The present work was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a non-cruelty intervention through the trapping and translocation of live animals, avoiding the use of poisons or hunting in a sensitive microinsular habitat. The European rabbit eradication plan began in December 2007 and ended in 2016, with the complete eradication of the species achieved in 2012. During the 5 yr in which trapping took place on the island, a total of 799 rabbits were trapped and translocated. A significant positive correlation (r=0.986; P=0.014) was observed between the number of catches made during the year and the estimated rabbit density in July (considered the highest of the year). The method used showed considerable efficacy for the management of rabbit populations in microinsular environments, highlighting the possibility of intervention with these methods when control using poison or direct culling is impractical or inadvisable.