Most will have seen the story an Island with Rabbits eating or destroying every thing.
And the plan?
Train dogs to kill the rabbits but not the penguins.
Seems so strange to me, so typical of public service.
No problem with killing them but would you trust every dog?
What is so wrong with using the newest chemical killer first to reduce numbers then or maybe first let shooters in?
All those carcases would find a ready market in butcher shops or even a home in export markets why take the risk of dogs?

I thought we could talk about this subject not fight over it.
Most of us would agree the rabbits have to go.
They are destroying the Island and harming the wildlife.
DOGS? I have no problem with hunting dogs, even if others do but mostly we can not step foot on these Islands.
Some are totally out of bounds.
Surely a better way exists?
I know we once trapped rabbits, never got rid of them all but kept numbers much lower.
Shooting will not do it alone but is the place going to be better of for these dogs?

Belly,
I did see that item on TV and i think it was said near the end that the dogs would be used after an extensive poisioning programme. I think this would be to get those that are left. I looks pretty rugged country and is cold as all hell.

Obviously the rabbits cannot be allowed to be there. Next to Norfolk island is a small island named Phillip island which was just a huge basalt rock after being totally denuded of growth and top soil. Rabbits were responsibile after they were introduced during the convict settlrment days. Best example ever of the damage rabbits can do.

Hope their plan works.

The dogs are NOT being trained to kill rabbits.

Over the years there's been many attempts to control the rabbits, including Myxomatosis, which are destroying habitat/wildlife. There will be an aerial baiting programme on the island in 2010, and the dogs will commence their work after that. The dog's role is to simply flush out the remaining rabbits on the island's steep, hilly terrain. The dogs will do no killing or attacking at all.

jw you are having us on.
The training includes some to see they do not kill wild life.
Flush out?
What do you mean by that?
To a better spot to shoot them?
Some would not like it but I in my youth trapped rabbits, even now wild rabbits are marketed in country freezer works and exported.
These could be too.
A kitten, baby rabbit from the wild is sold in butcher shops for $12
Rabbit cuts are $`15 to $17 a kg.
Harvesting if allowed could pay for its self and remove large numbers first.
Rabbit fur is a very salable product used in hat making.
Why waste it?
No matter how rough the country rabbits could be removed by other than dogs.

Belly,
I also hate to see things wasted that could be put to good use. Sure rabbit carcases are worth a bit in retail shops but in the situation of Macquarie Island I have serious doubts about the economics of harvesting the rabbits for sale. Firstly, as vehicular access is very limited much of the work would have to be done on foot which limits what can be done in a day. Then there is the need for storage and then transport to markets. Animal lovers would be up in arms about shooting or trapping.

The dogs I saw on TV were hardly the dogs I would choose for catching rabbits. The main training for them would be to ignore the chooks and penguins. After the baiting, the purpose of the dogs is for flushing into the burrows and then gas the burrows. This would be the best way in difficult terrain. Remember the object is to get rid of the rabbits and this can be acheived on foot.

I like your idea to get economic benefit from the rabbits, but it may not be feasable in this instance.