A disgruntled farmer in Central Otago says the introduction of the K5 rabbit virus has been a complete failure.
It has been nearly three months since the new virus was rolled out on Donald Young's farm and he isn't impressed with the results, telling 1 NEWS he hasn't seen one dead rabbit carcass.
He's no stranger to rabbit problems, back in 1997 when the calicivirus was rolled out illegally it was his property that hit the headlines.
"It was just like snow around here, it was belly up everywhere, it was just absolutely magic," Mr Young recalled.
The K5 virus has been met less enthusiastically by other farmers that 1 NEWS spoke to in the Otago region.
However, the council says otherwise.
"Our staff have actually been out in the field, they've monitored 30 of the release sites, and they're finding anywhere between zero to 80 per cent on knock back of rabbits at this stage," Martin King from the Otago Regional Council said.
Mr Young is calling for the introduction of a V2 virus proving popular in Australia.
With reports the V2 virus has already been spotted in Marlborough some farmers might be taking matters into their own hands once again.
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