Field guide
Rabbit
Rabbits are a major agricultural pest, particularly in the drier eastern South Island, where they strip pasture and undermine ground. Numbers can build very quickly in the right conditions.
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Where you’ll find them
Open farmland, tussock and river flats. Often shot at night from a vehicle with permission, which makes landowner consent essential rather than optional.
Dogs and 1080
Rabbit control uses a range of toxins, not only 1080. Ask the landowner what has been laid before bringing a dog.
Check 1080 operationsBefore you go
Seasons, permits, firearms rules and access conditions differ by region and by land status, and they change. We don’t publish them — check with the authority for the land you’re on: DOC for public conservation land, your regional council for pest rules, and the landowner for private land.