THE INVADERS
In the early days of the settlement of Australia, enterprising settlers unwisely
introduced the European rabbit. This rabbit had no natural enemies in the
Antipodes*, so it multiplied incredibly quickly. It overran a whole continent, and
caused devastation to herbage which might have maintained millions of sheep and
cattle. Scientists discovered that this particular variety of rabbit was susceptible to a
fatal virus disease. Trying to create local epidemics of this disease, they found out
that there was a type of mosquito which acted as the carrier of this disease and
passed it on to the rabbits. So while the rest of the
world was trying to get rid of mosquitoes, Australia
was encouraging this one. It effectively spread the
disease all over the continent and drastically
diminished the rabbit population.
* Antipodes, "dünyanın öbür ucu" anlamına gelir.
Ancak parçada "Avustralya" anlamında kullanılmıştır.
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