How did European wild rabbits damage Australian grazing lands?

European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were introduced to Australia in 1859 and quickly became a destructive invasive species. Their impact on grazing lands and broader ecosystems was profound due to several factors:12

• Resource Competition: Rabbits consume large quantities of plant material, specifically grasses and forbs, placing them in direct competition with native herbivores and livestock for food.12
• Vegetation Destruction: Their feeding habits led to widespread damage to crops and native flora. By overgrazing, they stripped the land of vegetation, which contributed to significant soil erosion.12
• Ecological Displacement: The rabbits' rapid expansion—occupying the southern half of the continent within 60 years—resulted in the decline and even extinction of various native Australian species that could not compete for resources or survive the habitat degradation.12

Efforts to mitigate this damage, such as the construction of rabbit-proof fences and the introduction of viral diseases like myxomatosis, have met with limited long-term success as the rabbit populations developed resistance.1