A concerning influx of 'grazing” rabbits across public reserves in Katikati and Omokoroa is prompting Western Bay of Plenty District Council to attempt to reduce the numbers.

Council are receiving daily reports of high numbers of rabbits at the popular walking spots of Haiku Park Reserve in Katikati and Cooney Reserve in Omokoroa.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is running a two month rabbit culling process in Omokoroa and Katikati.

As a result, a two month rabbit control programme is being run to reduce the rabbit population and rising costs associated with the animals.

'We are trying to get a better balance down there because when we do new planting in the parks the rabbits are chewing through it,” says WBOPDC reserves and facilities manager Peter Watson.

'We do lose a percentage of plants, but we will have to go back and plant more after the control programme.”

Sporadic control has been undertaken in the past, but never extended beyond casual night shooting causing the rabbit population to grow rapidly.

Peter says council does not have an exact number of rabbits infesting the two areas, but says they are escalating to the point they are almost 'grazing” the grass.

'Especially at Cooney Reserve in Omokoroa - because we have no dogs allowed down there and the rabbits have worked that out and don't have to hop back through the fence without the presence of dogs,” says Peter.

'This means they can fornicate a bit more often.”

The $2000 programme, which will run until the end of November, involves a number of bait stations full of non-poisonous cereal pellets. Then after a number of weeks a poisonous version of pellets is introduced.

Signs warning of the culling are being put up around the two areas warning residents and dog owners with information on the procedure, and what to do if a dog eats the bait – which there is an antidote for.

'It's getting them [the rabbits] to change their diet and producing a level of trust before the poison is introduced.

'The population builds up then we implement a programme to cull them back.”