The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is hoping research by Australian scientists will provide another tool in the fight for rabbit control, director of environmental monitoring Jeff Donaldson says.
He said Australian scientists were researching a Korean strain of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) to determine if it could complement or boost the effectiveness of the Czechoslovakian strain already present in Australian and New Zealand rabbits. They had looked at several different strains' effectiveness at different stages of a rabbit's life cycle, and determined the Korean strain was the best.
''We will consider that one, as well,'' Mr Donaldson said.
''It would still be 18 months before we could look at it seriously. To try to bring in a biocontrol [agent] takes a lot of work.''
He said the Korean strain would not be a ''silver bullet' but would provide a boost and assist control.
''The virus is only a supplemental tool and primary and other secondary control methods would still be needed.
''It is really just a top up for current secondary control practices. It will give us another few years.''
He said immunity to the strain already present was high in New Zealand, at about 70% to 80%.
''It [the current strain] is not helping much in Otago and Canterbury because of the high level of immunity.''
Before gaining permission for introducing the Korean strain, stringent tests and assessments would need to be done to ensure it would not do any damage to native species.
The original RHD strain was illegally introduced in Central Otago in 1997, and the resulting epidemic was effective. However, immunity levels are now high, in tandem with elevated rabbit numbers.