What seemed like an innocent Christmas gift of 24 English rabbits in 1859 would go on to become Australia's "most devastating biological invasion," according to a new study by the Proceedings of ...

On Christmas in 1859, Thomas Austin ... which could explain in part why they thrived in Australia. Wild rabbits were probably better than domestic ones at avoiding predators and surviving ...

Rabbits, aka bunnies, are instantly recognizable little creatures that many of us have welcomed into our lives as pets.

"In a previous study by our team, which looked at the colonization of Australia by rabbits ... a single introduction of 24 ...

The evidence goes to show that the present system for the destruction of the rabbits has been a complete failure. View Full Article in Timesmachine » Advertisement ...

"In 1859, an Englishman named Thomas ... "What is interesting is that rabbits had already been introduced to Australia in 1788. Why did Austin's rabbit release cause such a population explosion ...

A previous study on the rabbit colonization of Australia found that Englishman Thomas Austin introducing 24 rabbits in 1859 caused a spike in the rabbit population that led to an ecological and ...

Rabbits cost Australia’s agricultural sector almost ... to 13 English animals that were released on Christmas Day in 1859. Thomas Austin, a settler who owned an estate near Geelong, Victoria ...

That might explain why rabbits in Australia, a continent now overrun ... The rabbit population surged only after 1859, when the introduction of just 24 wild and domestic rabbits began a population ...