Alarm in Northern Germany: Myxomatosis is spreading among rabbits!

Alarm in Northern Germany: Myxomatosis is spreading among rabbits!

In northern Germany, the hunting community is sounding the alarm because the myxomatosis virus is continuing to spread. Hunters discovered dead rabbits in the Emden area with symptoms such as swollen and inflamed eyes and general apathy. Attentive hunters report such cases to the Aurich veterinary office, which has already begun investigations. The city of Emden asks hunters to register dead or sick brown hares in the animal discovery register, ideally with a photo and the note “Suspected myxomatosis”. Land & Forest reports that the disease was originally considered to be purely a rabbit disease, but now rabbits in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony are also affected, which was already increasingly seen last year.

Myxoma virus, a member of the smallpox viruses, is transmitted through biting insects or direct contact with body fluids. The incubation period is only a few days and the mortality rate is a shocking 80 percent. The typical symptoms include not only swollen eyes, but also severely restricted flight behavior and purulent, inflamed eyes. In order to combat the spread of this disease, the German Hunting Association (DJV) is calling on hunters to remove sick rabbits for containment and to watch out for fallen game, even in areas that have not yet been affected. The DJV provides information about this that the removal of sick animals is also possible outside of regular hunting seasons in order to minimize animal suffering.

Containment measures

Another important measure is to thoroughly clean clothing and equipment after a stay in affected areas. This is intended to prevent the pathogen from being spread. Hare hunting should be avoided in areas where sick animals have been spotted. For driven hunts in areas with pheasants, experts recommend a rest period of at least four weeks after the last case of myxomatosis in order to minimize the risk of further spread. Hunters who have stable populations of rabbits and low numbers of fallen game can still continue hunting. There are clear guidelines for this.

The situation is not only limited to northern Germany. An outbreak of the myxomatosis virus has also been observed in Austria, with the uncontrolled spread increasing worryingly in recent years. In the 1950s, the virus was introduced to France and Australia, causing a dramatic decline in wild rabbits. Since 2018, there have been reports that the virus has spread to the Iberian Peninsula and is now also infecting brown hares. This is also confirmed by a current report from Austria, which illustrates the dangerous situation.