Wild European rabbits face two devastating viral diseases — myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD) — that cause mass die-offs characterised by severe suffering and raise important questions about wildlife welfare management.
The welfare dimensions of wildlife disease management are complex and often controversial. Myxomatosis was introduced as a deliberate biological control measure with full knowledge that it would cause mass suffering in millions of animals — a decision that would face much greater ethical scrutiny today. Wild rabbits currently experiencing myxomatosis suffer for nearly two weeks before death. While wildlife disease management rarely prioritises individual animal welfare, the scale of suffering in rabbit disease events warrants consideration in conservation planning and raises questions about our obligations to wild animal welfare.