Rabbits were first introduced to mainland Australia when five domestic animals were brought to Sydney on the First Fleet in 1788. At least 90 subsequent importations would be made before 1859 but none of these populations became invasive. But within 50 years, at a rate of 100 km per year, rabbits would spread across the entire continent, making this the fastest colonization rate for an introduced mammal ever recorded. So what changed after 1859 and how did the invasion begin?
Click here for original story, DNA profiling solves Australian rabbit plague puzzle
Source: Phys.org