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Beware of messing around with large systems! Your proposed "solution" will most likely backfire in ways you don't even imagine!

mixmastamyk 9y ago
NZ is experienced in the subject.
kirrent 9y ago
This isn't a Michael Crichton book. The impact is heavily studied, including in model areas and other countries. The most likely backfiring would be for it to not kill as many rabbits as hoped like in the early 90s in Australia.
- noselasd 9y ago
  You mean there is no chance of it ever spreading outside New Zealand, or infecting similar species ?
  - toomanybeersies 9y ago
    It is already outside New Zealand. It's a naturally occurring variant of the virus from Korea. The only similar species in New Zealand that it could spread to would be hares. If that did happen, that would be an added bonus. Hares are also considered a pest animal in New Zealand.
    - hvidgaard 9y ago
      It does not affect hares, but they can spread it to other rabbits.
    - farseer 9y ago
      Deliberately spreading a virus on a large area may give the virus more hosts and more opportunities to mutate itself into something undesirable. The natural occurring variant only spreads via transmission on 4 legged creatures, not via crop dusters and other flying machines!
      - quixoticelixer- 9y ago
        Something undesirable like what exactly?
      - eesmith 9y ago
        That's not how biology works. RHDV1 K5 is a strain of RHDV1. RHDV1 in all of its mutations only affects the European rabbit. As https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease points out, it doesn't seem to affect other rabbits, like cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits and volcano rabbits. It also points out that birds, flies, rabbit fleas, and mosquitoes can spread the virus between rabbits, and those aren't "4 legged creatures." The disease is endemic to most of Europe, so it's not like it doesn't have plenty of opportunities already.
toomanybeersies 9y ago
The "solution" has been tried before, with moderate success. There's no reason to believe it will be any different this time.
Lazare 9y ago
Your comment is rediculous. Rabbits are a non-native species what were recently introduced and are causing significant damage. It's very well understood what a NZ without rabbits would be like; it would be like the NZ that existed before rabbits. That's the point. (And also like the smaller islands that are already rabbit free.)
- Elzear 9y ago
  Just to clarify, the virus will not eliminate all rabbits in NZ.
- crististm 9y ago
  Humans are notorious for not being as smart as they think they are.
DyslexicAtheist 9y ago
this has Black Swan written all over
sametmax 9y ago
Humans tend to believe because they can see a system move and measure 1% of it's 1000000 variables they can master it. Then they do something really stupid. Then they pay the price, and make their neighbor and children pay the price, saying "who could have known ?". This is not only very arrogant, but also extremely ignorant of our history.

mixmastamyk 9y ago

NZ is experienced in the subject.

kirrent 9y ago

This isn't a Michael Crichton book. The impact is heavily studied, including in model areas and other countries. The most likely backfiring would be for it to not kill as many rabbits as hoped like in the early 90s in Australia.

noselasd 9y ago
You mean there is no chance of it ever spreading outside New Zealand, or infecting similar species ?
- toomanybeersies 9y ago
  It is already outside New Zealand. It's a naturally occurring variant of the virus from Korea. The only similar species in New Zealand that it could spread to would be hares. If that did happen, that would be an added bonus. Hares are also considered a pest animal in New Zealand.
  - hvidgaard 9y ago
    It does not affect hares, but they can spread it to other rabbits.
  - farseer 9y ago
    Deliberately spreading a virus on a large area may give the virus more hosts and more opportunities to mutate itself into something undesirable. The natural occurring variant only spreads via transmission on 4 legged creatures, not via crop dusters and other flying machines!
    - quixoticelixer- 9y ago
      Something undesirable like what exactly?
    - eesmith 9y ago
      That's not how biology works. RHDV1 K5 is a strain of RHDV1. RHDV1 in all of its mutations only affects the European rabbit. As https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease points out, it doesn't seem to affect other rabbits, like cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits and volcano rabbits. It also points out that birds, flies, rabbit fleas, and mosquitoes can spread the virus between rabbits, and those aren't "4 legged creatures." The disease is endemic to most of Europe, so it's not like it doesn't have plenty of opportunities already.

toomanybeersies 9y ago

The "solution" has been tried before, with moderate success. There's no reason to believe it will be any different this time.

Lazare 9y ago

Your comment is rediculous. Rabbits are a non-native species what were recently introduced and are causing significant damage. It's very well understood what a NZ without rabbits would be like; it would be like the NZ that existed before rabbits. That's the point. (And also like the smaller islands that are already rabbit free.)

Elzear 9y ago
Just to clarify, the virus will not eliminate all rabbits in NZ.
crististm 9y ago
Humans are notorious for not being as smart as they think they are.

DyslexicAtheist 9y ago

this has Black Swan written all over

sametmax 9y ago

Humans tend to believe because they can see a system move and measure 1% of it's 1000000 variables they can master it. Then they do something really stupid. Then they pay the price, and make their neighbor and children pay the price, saying "who could have known ?". This is not only very arrogant, but also extremely ignorant of our history.