# Australia’s Phillip Island recovers after rabbit eradication 2026-08-06T14:34:31+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Phillip Island, near Norfolk Island, is regaining native vegetation and seabird colonies four decades after Australia removed its last breeding rabbits in 1986. Introduced rabbits, goats and pigs had stripped the volcanic island of plant cover, causing severe soil erosion. A campaign launched in 1978 used myxoma virus, 1080 bait, trapping and shooting. Once grazing stopped, buried seeds sprouted and the Norfolk Island abutilon, thought extinct for 70 years, was found again. Thousands of seabirds now breed on the island, including masked boobies, petrels, terns and noddies. The Times of India reports that conservation teams continue removing invasive weeds, stabilising soil and monitoring seabirds. Parks Australia restricts public access and permits no commercial tours. Restoration workers are also cultivating rare plants for reintroduction elsewhere in the Norfolk Island Group, while researchers assess the island’s value as a refuge for native species. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: Australia, conservation, Norfolk Island, rabbits, seabirds Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rabbit-removal-helps-phillip-islands-native-habitat-return/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rabbit-removal-helps-phillip-islands-native-habitat-return/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.