Even landowners in traditionally ''wet'' areas of Otago will need to be ''more active and aggressive'' in fighting rabbits as the dry conditions mean their numbers are increasing throughout the region.
Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead said this week the rabbit issue was more widespread this season because of the dry conditions.
''Landowners will need to be more active and aggressive than they have in the past, especially in the wetter southwest Otago.
''Where they have got away with not doing much in the past, this year it looks like it could be a problem,'' he said.
They were spreading into ''new'' areas, seeking food and cover.
The localities also included coastal North and South Otago, Naseby, Taieri Mouth and parts of Dunedin.
Urban areas where gorse and broom had been left to grow provided good cover for rabbits and needed to be removed if the problem was to be tackled, ORC monitoring and operations director Jeff Donaldson said.
Townships where many houses were built on piles, such as Naseby and Taieri Mouth, provided good cover for rabbits.
''Rabbits are being seen for the first time in some areas that they have not been seen in many years due to lack of growth,'' Mr Donaldson said.
He said rabbits had been breeding well since spring and, without the rain to drown them, had high rates of survival.
This also meant rabbit numbers were higher than had been seen in many years in traditional rabbit-prone areas of Central Otago.
''In places where control has not been carried out, they are at very high levels.''
The dry conditions also meant the traditional control practice of shooting was not advisable as shots could spark a fire.
''There is also not going to be a lot of money around, but if they do nothing, it will be more expensive next year.''
However, the dry weather provided the option of a summer oat poisoning programme.
Council company Regional Services had ordered 25 tonnes of oats and anticipated using all of it, Mr Donaldson said.
