The article "How Two Dozen Rabbits Started an Ecological Invasion in Australia" describes how introducing just 24 rabbits to Australia in the 1800s led to an ecological disaster. The rabbits, brought over for hunting purposes, reproduced quickly and soon became a major pest, causing extensive damage to crops and native vegetation. Despite various efforts by the Australian government to control their population, including introducing diseases, the rabbits continued to thrive.
The introduction of the rabbits had significant ecological impacts on Australia's ecosystem. Their overgrazing and burrowing caused soil erosion and damage to native plant species, affecting the survival of other animal species that depended on those plants for food and habitat. The article highlights the importance of carefully considering the potential ecological impacts of introducing non-native species and the difficulty of controlling invasive species once they become established.