Cape Town - The public has been urged to report any unusual rabbit deaths to their local state veterinarian as an outbreak of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is causing an unusual number of rabbits and hares to die in the Western and Northern Cape provinces.
The department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development announced the RHD outbreak on Thursday.
The news comes after the department has received reports of die-offs of wild rabbits and hares from the Karoo areas in the Western and Northern Cape provinces.
“State veterinary services, private veterinarians and the Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment were involved in field investigations. Post-mortems were performed and samples collected to confirm the cause of the deaths.
“Diagnostic tests were performed at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Laboratory and the cause was confirmed as rabbit haemorrhagic disease,” the department said. RHD is a disease caused by a virus and this is the first detection of the disease in South Africa.
The disease results in a high number of deaths in rabbits and hares, and animals die suddenly with bleeding in the organs such as the liver, kidney and spleen.
“At this stage it is still unclear how the disease could have entered the country, since the importation of rabbits and hares is not allowed. Investigations are under way to determine whether illegal importation could be the source,” the department said.
Western Cape Department of Agriculture state veterinarian Laura Roberts said 296 sick and dead rabbits and hares had been reported from 58 locations since late October.
“The distribution is mainly over the Karoo in the southern area of the Northern Cape and north-west quadrant of the Western Cape, but reports of domestic rabbit deaths have come from as far west and south as Hermanus and Durbanville,” Roberts said.
“Most animals have been found dead, including domestic rabbits, but some have been seen to be collapsed, lame, inactive, drooping ears and bleeding from the anus before death,” Roberts said.
CapeNature and the Endangered Wildlife Trust are also working together with state veterinarians to monitor the spread of the disease.
The department said that control of RHD in rabbitries relies mainly on vaccination, but the vaccine is not available in South Africa.
“This increases the importance of biosecurity measures in rabbitries and anywhere where rabbits or hares are kept. Rabbit owners are advised to ensure that their rabbits are secured and must prevent any contact with other rabbits or hares, either directly or indirectly through people or equipment.
“Biosecurity measures are difficult to implement in wild populations. The occurrence of RHD in the Karoo is therefore of great concern, as our indigenous red rock rabbit, endangered riverine rabbit and hare species are highly susceptible to this disease,” they said.
“Carcasses of RHD-infected rabbits may be a major source for viral spreading, since the virus seems to be highly resistant and stable, even when exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
“Members of the public are encouraged to please report any dead or dying rabbits or hares to the nearest state veterinarian for investigation.”
CapeNature said the affected species so far include the domestic rabbit, Cape hare, scrub hare and red rock rabbit, but CapeNature CEO Razeena Omar feared the impact the spreading diseases could have on endangered species.
“There is concern among conservationists that the disease might also affect populations of the riverine rabbit, which is already on the brink of extinction.
“This species only occurs at a few locations in the Nama Karoo and the Little Karoo and is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting and vehicle collisions,” Omar said.
Rabbit owners were urged to practise strict biosecurity and not to introduce any new rabbits, touch any other rabbits or allow visits from rabbit owners until there was more information on the disease.
CapeNature general manager Petro van Rhyn said any direct or indirect contact with wild rabbits and hares should be prevented and any second-hand equipment should be cleaned and wiped with bleach solution, which should be left to dry for at least 10 minutes before being rinsed off.