<P> At the time he had stated, "The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home, in addition to a spot of hunting", a prediction which has not aged well . </P> <P> The rabbits were extremely prolific creatures and spread rapidly across the southern parts of the country . Australia had ideal conditions for a rabbit population explosion . With mild winters, rabbits were able to breed the entire year . With widespread farming, areas that might otherwise have been scrub or woodlands were instead turned into vast areas with low vegetations, creating ideal habitats for rabbits . </P> <P> In a classic example of unintended consequences, rabbits had become so prevalent within ten years of their introduction in 1859 that two million could be shot or trapped annually without having any noticeable effect on the population . It was the fastest spread ever recorded of any mammal anywhere in the world . Today, rabbits are entrenched in the southern and central areas of the country, with scattered populations in the northern deserts . </P> <P> Although the rabbit is a notorious pest, it proved useful to many people during the depressions of the 1890s and 1930s and during wartime . Trapping rabbits helped farmers, stockmen, and stationhands by providing food and extra income, and in some cases helped pay off farming debts . Rabbits were fed to working dogs and boiled to be fed to poultry . Later, frozen rabbit carcasses were traded locally and exported . Pelts, too, were used in the fur trade and are still used in the felt - hat industry . </P>

What allowed the non native rabbits to spread so quickly in australia