INVASIVE SPECIES By Lisa J Amstutz Content Consultant Art Gover Research Support Associate Department of Plant Science Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Essential Library An Imprint of Abdo Publishing abdopublishing com ECOLOGICAL DISASTERS
Chapter ONE A PLAGUE OF More than a century ago a plague was unleashed on Australia Hungry animals tore up the soil chomped vegetation to the ground and caused great harm to the ecosystem Even fences could not stop the onslaught What creature was causing so much trouble European rabbits The first rabbits arrived in Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet a group of convicts and sailors sent from Europe to settle in Australia 1 Then in 1859 the Victorian Acclimatisation Society brought 24 more rabbits to Australia to provide game for hunters and remind the settlers off Rabbits burrows have damaged land in Australia 5
