Rabbit owners on the Northern Beaches are being urged to vaccinate their pets prior to the release of Calici-Boost, a new strain of wild rabbit control virus, in March.

Led by Greater Sydney Local Land Services, the new strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV1-K5) will be released in National Parks and other local reserves across the Northern Beaches and northern Sydney region where high feral rabbit populations occur.

Northern Beaches Council Deputy General Manager Ben Taylor said that controlling feral animals is an important part of protecting native animals and the precious natural environment where we live.

"Feral rabbits have a significant impact on the Northern Beaches, competing with endangered penguins and bandicoots for habitat, as well as damaging reserves and residential areas.

The new strain of the virus is more suitable to temperate Australian conditions, has no impact on native or other animals, and is considered a more humane and effective form of control for wild rabbits than previous strains.

"As well as wanting to protect our native animals we want to ensure no one’s pet is harmed so I encourage all people with pet rabbits to speak to their vet and make sure their vaccinations are up to date," Mr Taylor said.

It is important to note, current vaccinations for RHDV1 are perfectly effective in protecting domestic rabbits from infection from the new RHDV1-K5 strain.