European Rabbit[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN) [2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae Genus: Oryctolagus Lilljeborg, 1873 Species: O. cuniculus
Binomial name
Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Range map

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity. However, its decline there (caused by the diseases myxomatosis and rabbit calicivirus as well as over-hunting and habitat loss) has caused the decline of its highly dependent predators, the Iberian Lynx and the Spanish Imperial Eagle. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (800x765, 93 KB) Beschreibung: Wildkaninchen (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Quelle: fotografiert am 04. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct) The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity is the variation of taxonomic life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. ... Myxomatosis (from the Greek μύξα (mucus), and ματώνω (to bleed)) is a disease which infects rabbits. ... Rabbit calicivirus (RCD) or Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is a disease which infects only rabbits. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Binomial name Aquila adalberti C. L. Brehm, 1861 The Spanish Imperial Eagle or Adalberts Eagle (Aquila adalberti) is closely related to the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). ...

The European Rabbit is a small, grey-brown mammal ranging from 34-45 cm (13-18 inches) in length, and is approximately 1.3-2.2 kg (3-5 lb) in weight. As a lagomorph, it has four sharp incisors (two on top, two on bottom) that grow continuously throughout its life, and two peg teeth on the top behind the incisors, dissimilar to those of rodents (which have only 2 each, top and bottom). Rabbits have long ears, large hind legs, and short, fluffy tails. Rabbits move by hopping, using their long and powerful hind legs. To facilitate quick movement, a rabbit's hind feet have a thick padding of fur to dampen the shock of rapid hopping. Their toes are long, and are webbed to keep from spreading apart as the animal jumps. Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial unit of length. ... “Kg” redirects here. ... The pound or pound-mass (abbreviations: lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass (sometimes called weight in everyday parlance) in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. ... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents. ...

Rabbits are known by many names. Young rabbits are known by the names bunny, kit, or kitten. A male rabbit is called a buck, and a female rabbit is called a doe. A group of rabbits is known as a herd. Colloquially, a rabbit may be referred to as a "coney" or a "bunny", though the former is archaic.

The European Rabbit is well-known for digging networks of burrows called warrens, where it spends most of it time when not feeding. Unlike the related hares (Lepus), rabbits are altricial, the young being born blind and furless, in a furlined nest in the warren, and totally dependent upon their mother. A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. ... Jack rabbit and Jackrabbit redirect here. ... In bird and mammal biology, altricial species are those whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile, have closed eyes, lack hair or down, and must be cared for by the adults. ...

Rabbit behavior in the wild

Rabbits are gregarious, social animals, living in medium-sized colonies known as warrens. Rabbits are largely crepuscular, being most active around dawn and dusk, although they are not infrequently seen active during the day. Rabbits are essentially mixed-feeders, both grazing and browsing, but grass is their primary food source. Although the term social is a crucial category in social science and often used in public discourse, its meaning is often vague, suggesting that it is a fuzzy concept. ... Adult Firefly or Lightning Bug – a Crepuscular Beetle Photuris lucicrescens Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. ... Dusk in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, USA. Dusk outside a plane on cruise. ... Grazing To feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton. ... Browser can refer to: browser - a type of herbivore whose nutrition generally comes from high growing plants, like trees, rather than a grazer that eats from the ground. ...

The rabbit mating system is rather complex. Dominant males exhibit polygyny, whereas lower-status individuals (males and females) often form monogamous breeding relationships. Dominance hierarchies exist in parallel for both males and females, although dominant females are usually the mates of the dominant male. Males show considerable investment in the welfare of young, although much of this aspect of rabbit behaviour is poorly understood. In sociobiology and behavioural ecology, the term mating system is used to describe the ways in which animal societies are structured in relation to sexual behavior. ... It has been suggested that Sororal polygyny be merged into this article or section. ... Faithfulness redirects here. ... A dominance hierarchy or social hierarchy is an organizational form by which individuals within a community control the distribution of resources within the community. ...

Rabbits can be extremely aggressive in the wild, and competition between males can often lead to severe injury and death. Although hostile displays are used, and males often squirt urine on challengers as a form of territorial marking, the most common response to a challenge is immediate attack.^[3] Rabbits use their powerful back legs as weapons, kicking at an opponent's underside, as well as biting and scratching with the front paws. Aggression is defined as The act of initiating hostilities or invasion. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Rabbit burrows are excavated primarily by the female (doe), and usually during pregnancy. The doe digs short, blind tunnels as nesting stops, and is probably responsible as well for the excavation of most of the connecting tunnels. Doe is the term used for the females of various species of animal, including: some species of deer rabbits In job and classified ads, DOE is an acronym for Depending On Experience and usually indicated in pay rates. ...

Much of the modern research into wild rabbit behaviour was carried out in the 1960s by two research centres. One was the naturalist Ronald Lockley who maintained a number of large enclosures for wild rabbit colonies, with observation facilities, in Orielton in Pembrokeshire. Apart from publishing a number of scientific papers, he popularised his finding in a book The Private Life of the Rabbit.^[3], which is credited by Richard Adams as having played a key role in his gaining "a knowledge of rabbits and their ways" that was espoused in the novel Watership Down. The other group was the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia where Mykytowycz & Myers performed numerous studies of the social behaviour of wild rabbits. Since the onset of myxomatosis and the decline of the significance of the rabbit as an agricultural pest, few large scale studies have been performed and many aspects of rabbit behaviour are still poorly understood. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Ronald Mathias Lockley (November 8, 1903) - April 12, 2000 (aged 96)) was a Welsh naturalist and author who spent much of his later life in New Zealand. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: ) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ... Richard Adams (ca. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is the national government body for scientific research in Australia. ... Myxomatosis (from the Greek μύξα (mucus), and ματώνω (to bleed)) is a disease which infects rabbits. ...

Humans' relationship with rabbits

Humans' relationship with the European (sometimes called true) rabbit was first recorded by the Phoenicians earlier than 1000 BC, when they termed the Iberian Peninsula i-shfaním (literally, the land of the hyraxes). This phrase is pronounced identically in modern Hebrew: i (אי) meaning island and shafan (שפן) meaning hyrax; shfaním (שפנים) is the plural form. Phoenicians called the local rabbits hyraxes because hyraxes resemble rabbits in some ways, and were probably more common than rabbits in their native land (the Levant) at the time. Hyraxes, like rabbits, are not rodents. According to one theory, Romans converted the phrase i-shfaním to its Latin form, Hispania, which evolved into the modern Spanish word España, English Spain, and such other variations of modern languages. The precise meaning of shafan remains unclear, but the balance of opinion appears to indicate that the hyrax is indeed the intended meaning.^[4] Look up BC in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... Genera  Procavia  Heterohyrax  Dendrohyrax A hyrax is any of about 11 species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. ... The Modern Hebrew language is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. ... The Levant The Levant (IPA: ) is an imprecise geographical term historically referring to a large area in the Middle East south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and by the northern Arabian Desert and Upper Mesopotamia to the east. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Iberian Peninsula. ...

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the only species of rabbit to be domesticated. All pet breeds of rabbits, such as dwarf lops and angoras, are of this species. However, rabbits and humans interact in many different ways beyond domestication. Rabbits are an example of an animal that is treated as food, pet, and pest by members of the same culture. Binomial name Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) The European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. ... Dogs and sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...

The European Rabbit as an exotic pest

A European Rabbit afflicted by Myxomatosis.

The European Rabbit has been introduced as an exotic species into a number of environments, with baleful results to vegetation and local wildlife. Locations include the British Isles (from Roman times; as of November 2004 there were about 40 million European Rabbits in Britain), Laysan Island (1903) and Lisianski Island in the Hawaiian Islands; Macquarie Island; Smith Island, San Juan Islands (around 1900) later spreading to the other San Juan Islands; Australia and New Zealand. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 573 pixelsFull resolution (943 × 676 pixel, file size: 925 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A European Rabbit afflicted by Myxomatosis in Shropshire, England. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 573 pixelsFull resolution (943 × 676 pixel, file size: 925 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A European Rabbit afflicted by Myxomatosis in Shropshire, England. ... Sweet clover (Melilotus sp. ... This article describes the archipelago in north-Western Europe. ... Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... Laysan, located at N25° 42 14 W171° 44 04, is one of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. ... View of Lisianski Island Lisianski Island (Hawaiian: Papa‘āpoho) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with a land area of 1. ... Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 2,400 km in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawai‘i. ... Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between Australia and Antarctica. ... Smith Island is a island located in the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, about mid-way between Admiralty Inlet and Lopez Island. ... One of the San Juan islands The San Juan Islands are a part of the San Juan Archipelago in the northwest corner of the continental United States. ...

Twenty-four European Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 by estate owner Thomas Austin in Victoria. They soon spread throughout the country due to the lack of natural predators, widespread farming producing ideal "rabbitat", and mild Australian winters allowing them to breed year-round. Australia's equivalent to the rabbit, the Bilby, was quickly pushed out by the rabbits. The bilbies are endangered, but are now making a comeback due to government protection. Australia built an immense "rabbit-proof fence". The European Rabbit can not only jump very high, but also burrow underground, making fencing especially futile. During the 1950s experiments with introduction of a virus, Myxomatosis cuniiculi provided some relief in Australia but not in New Zealand where the insect vectors necessary for spread of the disease were not present. Myxomatosis can also infect pet rabbits which are genetically the same species. Today's remaining wild rabbits in Australia are largely immune to Myxomatosis. Thomas Austin was an Australian farmowner and hunting enthusiast who is generally credited with the introduction of rabbits into Australia in 1859. ... “VIC” redirects here. ... For the band, see Bilby (band). ... Photo of the Rabbit proof fence, taken in 1927 Photo of the Rabbit proof fence, taken in 2005 For the movie, see Rabbit-Proof Fence (film) The State Barrier Fence of Western Australia, formerly known as the No. ... Myxomatosis is a disease which infects only rabbits. ... In epidemiology, a vector is an organism that does not cause disease itself but which spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another. ...

Domesticated rabbits

A Netherland dwarf rabbit

Main article: Domestic rabbit

The only rabbit to be domesticated is the European Rabbit. This rabbit has been extensively domesticated for food or as a pet. It was first widely kept in ancient Rome and was refined into a wider variety of breeds during the Middle Ages. Netherland Dwarf Rabbit. ... Netherland Dwarf Rabbit. ... Dwarf rabbits are a type of domestic European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). ... This article is about domesticated European rabbits. ... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... It has been suggested that Residential pets be merged into this article or section. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Domesticated rabbits have mostly been bred to be much larger than wild rabbits, though selective breeding has produced a wide range of breeds which are kept as pets and food animals across the world. They have as much color variation among themselves as other household pets. Their fur is prized for its softness, and even today Angora rabbits are raised for their long soft fur, which is often spun into yarn. Other breeds are raised for the fur industry, particularly the Rex, which has a smooth velvet like coat and comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Selective breeding in domesticated animals is the process of developing a cultivated breed over time. ... Rabbit breeds are notably different varieties of domestic rabbit created through selective breeding or natural selection. ...

In the middle-size breeds, the teeth grow approximately 125 mm (5 in) per year for the upper incisors and about 200 mm (8 in) per year for the lower incisors. The teeth abrade away against one another, giving the teeth a constantly sharp edge.

Reproduction

Rabbits are famed for their reproductive capabilities. Although certainly not the strongest, fastest, or smartest of the mammals, they have carved out a strong ecological niche through their rate of impregnation, due to the fact that female rabbits ovulate at the time of copulation. One striking example of rapid rabbit reproduction took place in Australia, where the 24 rabbits first introduced in 1859 had multiplied in number to over 600 million over the course of less than a century.^[5][6] Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex...

The gestation cycle for a rabbit averages 31 days, although it can vary anywhere between 29 and 35 days. Litter sizes generally range between two to twelve rabbits. The young are born in a nesting burrow dug by the female, which she returns to once a day for four weeks in order for them to suckle.^[7] The rabbit's reproductive abilities were the inspiration for the phrase "breeding like rabbits".

See also

• Rabbits in Australia, information on the European rabbit's status as a pest in Australia
• Rabbit show jumping, a sport involving domestic European rabbits
• House Rabbit Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to domesticated European rabbit care, education, information, and advocacy
• List of rabbit breeds
• American Rabbit Breeders' Association

A European Rabbit in an Australian farm In Australia, rabbits are the most serious mammalian pests, an invasive species whose destruction of habitats is responsible for the extinction or major decline of many native animals such as the Western Quoll. ... Rabbit jumping over a fence at a competition. ... An example of the HRS website at www. ... Rabbit breeds are notably different varieties of domestic rabbit created through selective breeding or natural selection. ... The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) is a national club for domestic rabbit and cavy breeders. ...

References

Wikibooks Cookbook has an article on

Rabbit

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Oryctolagus cuniculus

• Reversing Rabbit Decline 2005 report concerning efforts to recover rabbits in Spain and Portugal, supported by the IUCN Lagomorph and Cat Specialist Groups