Rabbits were introduced to tambor island in the nineteenth century. overgrazing by the enormous rabbit population now menaces the island's agriculture. the government proposes to reduce the population by using a virus that has caused devastating epidemics in rabbit populations elsewhere. there is, however, a small chance that the virus will infect the bilby, an endangered native herbivore. the government's plan, therefore, may serve the interests of agriculture but will clearly increase the threat to native wildlife.