Rabbits were deliberately released on New Zealand’s remote Enderby Island in October 1865 to provide a potential food source for people who might be shipwrecked in the subantarctic Auckland Islands. The animals were brought from Australia and released in the hope that a breeding population would establish itself. Ultimately, the species survived there for 127 years. They also developed distinctive characteristics after being isolated from the mainland rabbit populations.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!