Rabbits have presented several problems on the University of Victoria campus, officials say. Rabbits have presented several problems on the University of Victoria campus, officials say. (CBC)

The University of Victoria is changing its rabbit policy from trap and relocate to trap and kill.

Since the summer of 2010, the university has been trapping and transferring rabbits to sanctuaries where they are being sterilized and housed.

The university planned to allow 200 of the 1,200 feral rabbits to remain on campus, but those plans have changed.

As of March 1, any rabbit found on campus will be trapped and euthanized.

UVIC spokesperson Tom Smith cited two reasons for the policy change.

"People are continuing to drop rabbits off on campus and I think as long as we continue to manage a population of rabbits, that will just continue," he said. "The other concern is that with the expiry of the permits, we wouldn't be able to move rabbits to sanctuaries in the future and as a result, would be forced to capture and kill rabbits and we want to avoid being put in that position."

Smith expects the 50 to 60 rabbits remaining at UVIC will be trapped and transferred to sanctuaries before the March deadline.

The rabbits are a problem because they leave droppings, destroy vegetation and dig holes that have become dangerous.