Rabbits have been spotted nibbling away at trees and vegetable gardens in the middle of Christchurch.
With brown ones, black ones and ones of all shapes and sizes hopping around the red zone, an investigation has been launched to see whether it's just a visit or an infestation.
Boffa Miskell biosecurity consultant Brent Barrett says there is physical evidence of digging.
"They do chew and gnaw the bark of trees, and they do attack people's gardens as well as any planting areas."
Biosecurity experts have put out a network of tunnels and bait cards to track the pests, including rats, mice, possums, stoats and rabbits.
But the study across 520 hectares of the red zone is a far cry from the typical pest-control scenario.
"It doesn't look like we'll be doing any wide-scale management control," says Matt Bradley, a Land Information New Zealand Christchurch Land and Property manager. "Again we have to be really conscious that this is a red zone, so there are a number of users; we have a lot of dog walkers."
Initial numbers show there are pests in the area, but in low numbers. But surprisingly it has been found that many of the rabbits are domesticated species, suggesting some nearby residents have been setting their pets free.
"You wouldn't normally see that in the wild at all," says Mr Barrett. "They're normally all European rabbits. They all look generic; they look the same."
Newshub.
