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Story: Rabbits

Rabbits under control, 1960

Video file

This film was taken in 1960, when rabbit populations were under control. The introduction of aerial poisoning with 1080 in the early 1950s had reduced numbers, which had been at their highest in the late 1940s. However, rabbit control did not last. Problems arose in the late 1980s as a result of rising costs of control measures, a shift to landowners paying for rabbit control on their property, and an explosion in rabbit numbers.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Introduced Animals of New Zealand. National Film Unit, 1960

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Robert Peden, Rabbits – The spread of rabbits in New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/15246/rabbits-under-control-1960 (accessed 14 June 2026).

Story by Robert Peden, published 1 March 2009.