European rabbit in New Zealand

Rabbits were commonly brought upon ships for their meat and fur. Rabbits were introduced by Captain Cook in 1777 in an island in the Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui.[2] Rabbits were first introduced to the mainland New Zealand in the 1830s. They were released in Blenheim in 1858 and 1865. Silver grey rabbits were released near Kaikōura around 1862. Rabbits entered Wairarapa in 1863 but were slowed by a parisitic intestinal disease, coccidiosis, in the 1880s. In the early 1900s the rabbits spread to Hawke's Bay, and it was only until 1946 when they reached Taranaki and the far north.[1]

Similar to rabbit plagues in Australia, New Zealand experienced several periods of explosive rabbit population growth. The first started in the 1870s and ended around 1895. There have also been rabbit plagues in the 1920s, 1940s, and late 1980s. The peak of the rabbit plagues in the South Island was in 1895. The spread of rabbits in the South Island was much greater than the North Island because the South Island is much drier, is covered in less forest, and experiences less rainfall than the North Island. The cost of these plagues is estimated to be multiple millions not only due to the costs of maintaining the rabbit populations, but also the ecological effects that the rabbits have caused, which has been described as an 'ecological disaster'. Areas worst affected by the plagues have never recovered. Alongside burrowing holes, the rabbits have caused the removal of vegetation cover, such as tussocks, grasses and shrubs. This has caused soil erosion from wind and rain.[1]

Alongside burrowing holes which can make farmland useless, the rabbits cause the removal of vegetation cover, such as tussocks, grasses and shrubs. This has caused soil erosion from wind and rain.[1][4] They also compete with pasture livestock by eating the best grass.[4]

Since the 1990s an annual rabbit culling competition has been held near Alexandra.