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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 n
by 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 agoYou mean there is no chance of it ever spreading outside New Zealand, or infecting similar species ?
- toomanybeersies 9y agoIt 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 agoIt does not affect hares, but they can spread it to other rabbits.
- farseer 9y agoDeliberately 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 agoSomething undesirable like what exactly?
- eesmith 9y agoThat'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.