I just read a disturbing article regarding the release of the evil calicivirus into the New Zealand countryside yet again.

We all need to pay attention to this kind of carry on, for it is nothing less than biological warfare, with unknown long term impacts, on genetics and the food chain as a whole.

A couple of yers ago, the calicivirus went through our neighbourhood unknown to us. At the time we had a number of pet rabbits (quite by accident), all of whom had amazing personlities, quirks and opinions on what they liked or did not like. Quite a few of them had lived inside with us at various times throughout their lives, were very well toilet trained, and we all understood each other reasonably well.

Imagine our horror as one by one, over a period of a day a whole rabbit family of Mum and Dad, and their two grownup daughters all went into full organ failure. It was heartbreaking, and resulted in some intensive research.

Whilst 24 hours may not seem like a long time to us, one must remember that to a rabbit, with a very fast metabolism and a short life, 1 day for them is equivalent to 10.8 of our days. Imagine 10 days of organ failure, pain and certain death. The death rate is close to 100% once vinfected, and infection is spread in an airborn manner with insects being the main carriers.

It wiped out an entire family, but another family were untouched as they were in their hutch at the other end of the garden.

So again, the powers that be, decide to release this onto the rabbit population in Northland.
Rabbit breeders and pet rabbit owners are being warned to make sure their animals are vaccinated.
This in itself is a double edged sword as the vaccine is made from killing a rabbit to make it (well at least it was a couple of years ago). For those that live compassionate lives, is it fair to kill another to save another? We passed on the vaccines, and became more proactive with our remaining rabbits, keeping their hutch mess free and covering them up with a mesh to stop as many insects as possible from entering their area.

This is not the first time this virus has been released in the area, as back in 2006 the Northland Regional Council last released the virus as well.

Council spokesman Mike Knight says the virus is typically released into areas bordering urban centres, where methods such as shooting or poison cannot be used. He says calicivirus affects unvaccinated adult rabbits only and poses no risk to humans or other animals.

The virus is likely to be released in the Ahipara, Taupo Bay and Kerikeri areas, from July 26.

What I find scary is that although they say that it may be of no risk to anyone else but rabbits, what happens to the animals that eat the dead rabbits? We are all what we eat, and what becomes of the animals that spend weeks eating virus contaminated flesh that has a 100% targetted kill rate?
Just a thought to keep you pondering on what it is we are all a party to.