Rabbit - Wikipedia

2/20/23, 9:57 PM Rabbit - Wikipedia
Rabbit
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small
mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) Rabbit
of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). Temporal range: Late Eocene –
Oryctolagus cuniculus includes the European rabbit species and Holocene,
its descendants, the world's 305 breeds[1] of domestic rabbit.
Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven
types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been
introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar
throughout the world as a wild prey animal and as a domesticated
form of livestock and pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies
and cultures, the rabbit is, in many areas of the world, a part of
daily life—as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic
inspiration.
Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs like rabbits have

been discovered to have diverged separately and earlier than their
rodent cousins and have a number of traits rodents lack, like two
extra incisors.
Terminology and etymology European rabbit (Oryctolagus

cuniculus)
A male rabbit is called a buck; a female is called a doe. An older Scientific classification
term for an adult rabbit used until the 18th century is coney
(derived ultimately from the Latin cuniculus), while rabbit once Kingdom: Animalia
referred only to the young animals.[2] Another term for a young Phylum: Chordata
rabbit is bunny, though this term is often applied informally
(particularly by children) to rabbits generally, especially domestic Class: Mammalia
ones. More recently, the term kit or kitten has been used to refer
Order: Lagomorpha
to a young rabbit.
Family: Leporidae
A group of rabbits is known as a colony or nest (or, occasionally, a
Included genera
warren, though this more commonly refers to where the rabbits
live).[3] A group of baby rabbits produced from a single mating is Pentalagus
referred to as a litter[4] and a group of domestic rabbits living
together is sometimes called a herd.[5] Bunolagus
Nesolagus
The word rabbit itself derives from the Middle English rabet, a
borrowing from the Walloon robète, which was a diminutive of Romerolagus
the French or Middle Dutch robbe.[6] Brachylagus
Sylvilagus
Taxonomy Oryctolagus
Poelagus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit 1/22
Rabbits and hares were formerly classified in the order Rodentia (rodent) until 1912, when they were
moved into a new order, Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). Below are some of the genera and
species of the rabbit.
Brachylagus idahoensis
Pygmy rabbit Nesolagus netscheri Oryctolagus cuniculus
Sumatran Striped Rabbit European rabbit
(Model) (Feral Tasmanian specimen)
Romerolagus diazi Sylvilagus aquaticus

Pentalagus furnessi Volcano rabbit Swamp rabbit
Amami rabbit (Taxidermy specimen) (Juvenile)
(Taxidermy specimen)
Sylvilagus audubonii Sylvilagus bachmani Sylvilagus brasiliensis

Desert cottontail Brush rabbit Tapeti
(Taxidermy specimen)
Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern cottontail
Order Lagomorpha
Family Leporidae (in part)
Genus Brachylagus
Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis
Genus Bunolagus
Bushman rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis
Genus Lepus[a]
Genus Nesolagus
Sumatran striped rabbit, Nesolagus netscheri
Annamite striped rabbit, Nesolagus timminsi
Genus Oryctolagus
European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
Genus Pentalagus
Amami rabbit/Ryūkyū rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi
Genus Poelagus
Central African Rabbit, Poelagus marjorita
Genus Romerolagus
Volcano rabbit, Romerolagus diazi
Genus Sylvilagus
Swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus
Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
Brush rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
Forest rabbit, Sylvilagus brasiliensis
Mexican cottontail, Sylvilagus cunicularis
Dice's cottontail, Sylvilagus dicei
Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
Tres Marias rabbit, Sylvilagus graysoni
Omilteme cottontail, Sylvilagus insonus
San Jose brush rabbit, Sylvilagus mansuetus
Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
Marsh rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris
New England cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis
Differences from hares
The term rabbit is typically used for all

Leporidae species excluding the genus
Lepus. Members of that genus are
instead known as hares or jackrabbits.
Lepus species are typically precocial,

born relatively mature and mobile with
hair and good vision, while rabbit
species are altricial, born hairless and
blind, and requiring closer care. Hares
live a relatively solitary life in a simple
nest above the ground, while most
rabbits live in social groups in burrows
or warrens. Hares are generally larger
than rabbits, with ears that are more
elongated, and with hind legs that are
larger and longer. Descendants of the
European rabbit are commonly bred as Hare Rabbit
livestock and kept as pets, whereas no Johann Daniel Meyer (1748) Johann Daniel Meyer (1748)
hares have been domesticated – the
breed called the Belgian hare is actually
a domestic rabbit which has been selectively bred to resemble a hare.
Domestication
Rabbits have long been domesticated. Beginning in the Middle Ages, the European rabbit has been
widely kept as livestock, starting in ancient Rome. Selective breeding has generated a wide variety of
rabbit breeds, of which many (since the early 19th century) are also kept as pets. Some strains of
rabbit have been bred specifically as research subjects.
As livestock, rabbits are bred for their meat and fur. The earliest breeds were important sources of
meat, and so became larger than wild rabbits, but domestic rabbits in modern times range in size from
dwarf to giant. Rabbit fur, prized for its softness, can be found in a broad range of coat colors and
patterns, as well as lengths. The Angora rabbit breed, for example, was developed for its long, silky
fur, which is often hand-spun into yarn. Other domestic rabbit breeds have been developed primarily
for the commercial fur trade, including the Rex, which has a short plush coat.
Biology
Evolution
Because the rabbit's epiglottis is engaged over the soft palate

except when swallowing, the rabbit is an obligate nasal breather.
Rabbits have two sets of incisor teeth, one behind the other. This
Wax models showing the way they can be distinguished from rodents, with which they are
development of the rabbit heart often confused.[7] Carl Linnaeus originally grouped rabbits and
rodents under the class Glires; later, they were separated as the
scientific consensus is that many of their similarities were a result
of convergent evolution. Recent DNA analysis and the discovery of a common ancestor has supported
the view that they share a common lineage, so rabbits and rodents are now often grouped together in
the superorder Glires.[8]
Morphology
Since speed and agility are a rabbit's main defenses against

predators (including the swift fox), rabbits have large hind leg
bones and well-developed musculature. Though plantigrade at
rest, rabbits are on their toes while running, assuming a more
digitigrade posture. Rabbits use their strong claws for digging and
(along with their teeth) for defense.[9] Each front foot has four toes
plus a dewclaw. Each hind foot has four toes (but no dewclaw).[10]
Most wild rabbits (especially compared to hares) have relatively

full, egg-shaped bodies. The soft coat of the wild rabbit is agouti in
coloration (or, rarely, melanistic), which aids in camouflage. The
Skeleton of the rabbit tail of the rabbit (with the exception of the cottontail species) is
dark on top and white below. Cottontails have white on the top of
their tails.[11]
As a result of the position of the eyes in its skull, the rabbit has a field of vision that encompasses
nearly 360 degrees, with just a small blind spot at the bridge of the nose.[12]
Hind limb elements
The anatomy of rabbits' hind limbs are structurally similar to that of other land mammals and
contribute to their specialized form of locomotion. The bones of the hind limbs consist of long bones
(the femur, tibia, fibula, and phalanges) as well as short bones (the tarsals). These bones are created
through endochondral ossification

during development. Like most land
mammals, the round head of the
femur articulates with the acetabulum
of the os coxae. The femur articulates
with the tibia, but not the fibula,
which is fused to the tibia. The tibia
and fibula articulate with the tarsals
of the pes, commonly called the foot.
This image comes from a specimen The hind limbs of the rabbit are
in the Pacific Lutheran University longer than the front limbs. This
natural history collection. It displays allows them to produce their hopping
all of the skeletal articulations of form of locomotion. Longer hind
rabbit's hind limbs. limbs are more capable of producing
faster speeds. Hares, which have Melanistic coloring
longer legs than cottontail rabbits, are Oryctologus cuniculus
able to move considerably faster. [13] Rabbits stay just on their toes when
European rabbit (wild)
moving; this is called Digitigrade locomotion. The hind feet have four
long toes that allow for this and are webbed to prevent them from
spreading when hopping.[14] Rabbits do not have paw pads on their feet like most other animals that
use digitigrade locomotion. Instead, they have coarse compressed hair that offers protection.[15]
Musculature
Rabbits have muscled hind legs that allow for maximum force,
maneuverability, and acceleration that is divided into three main
parts; foot, thigh, and leg. The hind limbs of a rabbit are an
exaggerated feature. They are much longer than the forelimbs,
providing more force. Rabbits run on their toes to gain the optimal
stride during locomotion. The force put out by the hind limbs is
contributed to both the structural anatomy of the fusion tibia and
fibula, and muscular features.[16] Bone formation and removal,
from a cellular standpoint, is directly correlated to hind limb The rabbit's hind limb (lateral view)
muscles. Action pressure from muscles creates force that is then includes muscles involved in the
distributed through the skeletal structures. Rabbits that generate quadriceps and hamstrings.
less force, putting less stress on bones are more prone to
osteoporosis due to bone rarefaction.[17] In rabbits, the more fibers
in a muscle, the more resistant to fatigue. For example, hares have a greater resistance to fatigue than
cottontails. The muscles of rabbit's hind limbs can be classified into four main categories: hamstrings,
quadriceps, dorsiflexors, or plantar flexors. The quadriceps muscles are in charge of force production
when jumping. Complementing these muscles are the hamstrings, which aid in short bursts of action.
These muscles play off of one another in the same way as the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors,
contributing to the generation and actions associated with force.[18]
Ears
Within the order lagomorphs, the ears are utilized to detect and avoid predators. In the family
Leporidae, the ears are typically longer than they are wide. For example, in black tailed jack rabbits,
their long ears cover a greater surface area relative to their body size that allow them to detect
predators from far away. Contrasted to cotton tailed rabbits, their

ears are smaller and shorter, requiring predators to be closer to
detect them before they can flee. Evolution has favored rabbits
having shorter ears, so the larger surface area does not cause them
to lose heat in more temperate regions. The opposite can be seen
in rabbits that live in hotter climates, mainly because they possess
longer ears that have a larger surface area that help with
dispersion of heat as well as the theory that sound does not travel Anatomy of mammalian ear
well in more arid air, opposed to cooler air. Therefore, longer ears
are meant to aid the organism in detecting predators sooner rather
than later in warmer temperatures.[19] The rabbit is characterized
by its shorter ears while hares are characterized by their longer
ears.[20] Rabbits' ears are an important structure to aid
thermoregulation and detect predators due to how the outer,
middle, and inner ear muscles coordinate with one another. The
ear muscles also aid in maintaining balance and movement when
fleeing predators.[21]
Outer ear
The auricle, also known as the pinna, is a rabbit's outer ear.[22]

The rabbit's pinnae represent a fair part of the body surface area.
It is theorized that the ears aid in dispersion of heat at
A Holland Lop resting with one ear
temperatures above 30 °C with rabbits in warmer climates having
up and one ear down. Some rabbits
longer pinnae due to this. Another theory is that the ears function
can adjust their ears to hear distant
as shock absorbers that could aid and stabilize rabbit's vision when
sounds.
fleeing predators, but this has typically only been seen in hares.[23]
The rest of the outer ear has bent canals that lead to the eardrum
or tympanic membrane.[24]
Middle ear
The middle ear is filled with three bones called ossicles and is separated by the outer eardrum in the
back of the rabbit's skull. The three ossicles are called hammer, anvil, and stirrup and act to decrease
sound before it hits the inner ear. In general, the ossicles act as a barrier to the inner ear for sound
energy.[24]
Inner ear
Inner ear fluid called endolymph receives the sound energy. After receiving the energy, later within
the inner ear there are two parts: the cochlea that utilizes sound waves from the ossicles and the
vestibular apparatus that manages the rabbit's position in regards to movement. Within the cochlea
there is a basilar membrane that contains sensory hair structures utilized to send nerve signals to the
brain so it can recognize different sound frequencies. Within the vestibular apparatus the rabbit
possesses three semicircular canals to help detect angular motion.[24]
Thermoregulation
Thermoregulation is the process that an organism utilizes to

maintain an optimal body temperature independent of external
conditions.[25] This process is carried out by the pinnae, which
takes up most of the rabbit's body surface and contain a vascular
network and arteriovenous shunts.[26] In a rabbit, the optimal
body temperature is around 38.5–40 ℃ .[27] If their body
temperature exceeds or does not meet this optimal temperature,
the rabbit must return to homeostasis. Homeostasis of body
temperature is maintained by the use of their large, highly Rabbits use their large, vascularized
vascularized ears that are able to change the amount of blood flow ears, which aid in thermoregulation,
that passes through the ears. to keep their body temperature at an
optimal level.
Constriction and dilation of blood vessels in the ears are used to
control the core body temperature of a rabbit. If the core
temperature exceeds its optimal temperature greatly, blood flow is constricted to limit the amount of
blood going through the vessels. With this constriction, there is only a limited amount of blood that is
passing through the ears where ambient heat would be able to heat the blood that is flowing through
the ears and therefore, increasing the body temperature. Constriction is also used when the ambient
temperature is much lower than that of the rabbit's core body temperature. When the ears are
constricted it again limits blood flow through the ears to conserve the optimal body temperature of the
rabbit. If the ambient temperature is either 15 degrees above or below the optimal body temperature,
the blood vessels will dilate. With the blood vessels being enlarged, the blood is able to pass through
the large surface area, causing it to either heat or cool down.
During hot summers, the rabbit has the capability to stretch its pinnae, which allows for greater
surface area and increase heat dissipation. In cold winters, the rabbit does the opposite and folds its
ears in order to decrease its surface area to the ambient air, which would decrease their body
temperature.
The jackrabbit has the largest ears within the Oryctolagus cuniculus group. Their ears contribute to
17% of their total body surface area. Their large pinna were evolved to maintain homeostasis while in
the extreme temperatures of the desert.
Respiratory system
The rabbit's nasal cavity lies dorsal to the oral cavity, and the two
compartments are separated by the hard and soft palate.[28] The nasal
cavity itself is separated into a left and right side by a cartilage barrier,
and it is covered in fine hairs that trap dust before it can enter the
respiratory tract.[28][29] As the rabbit breathes, air flows in through the
nostrils along the alar folds. From there, the air moves into the nasal
cavity, also known as the nasopharynx, down through the trachea,
through the larynx, and into the lungs.[29][30] The larynx functions as the
rabbit's voice box, which enables it to produce a wide variety of
sounds.[29] The trachea is a long tube embedded with cartilaginous rings
that prevent the tube from collapsing as air moves in and out of the lungs.
The trachea then splits into a left and right bronchus, which meet the Ventral view of dissected
lungs at a structure called the hilum. From there, the bronchi split into rabbit lungs with key
progressively more narrow and numerous branches. The bronchi branch structures labeled.
into bronchioles, into respiratory bronchioles, and ultimately terminate at
the alveolar ducts. The branching that is typically found in rabbit lungs is a clear example of
monopodial branching, in which smaller branches divide out laterally from a larger central branch.[31]
The structure of the rabbit's nasal and oral cavities necessitates breathing through the nose. This is
due to the fact that the epiglottis is fixed to the backmost portion of the soft palate.[30] Within the oral
cavity, a layer of tissue sits over the opening of the glottis, which blocks airflow from the oral cavity to
the trachea.[28] The epiglottis functions to prevent the rabbit from aspirating on its food. Further, the
presence of a soft and hard palate allow the rabbit to breathe through its nose while it feeds.[29]
Rabbits' lungs are divided into four lobes: the cranial, middle,
caudal, and accessory lobes. The right lung is made up of all four
lobes, while the left lung only has two: the cranial and caudal
lobes.[31] In order to provide space for the heart, the left cranial
lobe of the lungs is significantly smaller than that of the right.[28]
The diaphragm is a muscular structure that lies caudal to the lungs
and contracts to facilitate respiration.[28][30]
Digestion
Rabbits are herbivores that feed by grazing on grass and other Monopodial branching as seen in
leafy plants. Consequently, their diet contains large amounts of dissected rabbit lungs.
cellulose, which is hard to digest. Rabbits solve this problem via a
form of hindgut fermentation. They pass two distinct types of
feces: hard droppings and soft black viscous pellets, the latter of which are known as caecotrophs or
"night droppings" [32] and are immediately eaten (a behaviour known as coprophagy). Rabbits
reingest their own droppings (rather than chewing the cud as do cows and numerous other
herbivores) to digest their food further and extract sufficient nutrients.[33]
Rabbits graze heavily and rapidly for roughly the first half-hour of a grazing period (usually in the late
afternoon), followed by about half an hour of more selective feeding. In this time, the rabbit will also
excrete many hard fecal pellets, being waste pellets that will not be reingested. If the environment is
relatively non-threatening, the rabbit will remain outdoors for many hours, grazing at intervals. While
out of the burrow, the rabbit will occasionally reingest its soft, partially digested pellets; this is rarely
observed, since the pellets are reingested as they are produced.
Hard pellets are made up of hay-like fragments of plant cuticle and stalk, being the final waste product
after redigestion of soft pellets. These are only released outside the burrow and are not reingested.
Soft pellets are usually produced several hours after grazing, after the hard pellets have all been
excreted. They are made up of micro-organisms and undigested plant cell walls.
Rabbits are hindgut digesters. This means that most of their digestion takes place in their large
intestine and cecum. In rabbits, the cecum is about 10 times bigger than the stomach and it along with
the large intestine makes up roughly 40% of the rabbit's digestive tract.[34] The unique musculature of
the cecum allows the intestinal tract of the rabbit to separate fibrous material from more digestible
material; the fibrous material is passed as feces, while the more nutritious material is encased in a
mucous lining as a cecotrope. Cecotropes, sometimes called "night feces", are high in minerals,
vitamins and proteins that are necessary to the rabbit's health. Rabbits eat these to meet their
nutritional requirements; the mucous coating allows the nutrients to pass through the acidic stomach
for digestion in the intestines. This process allows rabbits to extract the necessary nutrients from their
food.[35]
The chewed plant material collects in the large cecum, a secondary chamber between the large and
small intestine containing large quantities of symbiotic bacteria that help with the digestion of
cellulose and also produce certain B vitamins. The pellets are about 56% bacteria by dry weight,
largely accounting for the pellets being 24.4% protein on average. The soft feces form here and contain
up to five times the vitamins of hard feces. After being excreted, they are eaten whole by the rabbit and
redigested in a special part of the stomach. The pellets remain intact for up to six hours in the
stomach; the bacteria within continue to digest the plant carbohydrates. This double-digestion process
enables rabbits to use nutrients that they may have missed during the first passage through the gut, as
well as the nutrients formed by the microbial activity and thus ensures that maximum nutrition is
derived from the food they eat.[11] This process serves the same purpose in the rabbit as rumination
does in cattle and sheep.[36]
Because rabbits cannot vomit,[37] if buildup occurs within the

intestines (due often to a diet with insufficient fibre),[38] intestinal
blockage can occur.[39]
Reproduction
The adult male reproductive

system forms the same as most
mammals with the
seminiferous tubular
compartment containing the
Sertoli cells and an adluminal
compartment that contains the
Leydig cells.[40] The Leydig
Dissected image of the male rabbit
cells produce testosterone,
reproductive system with key which maintains libido[40] and Diagram of the male rabbit
structures labeled creates secondary sex reproductive system with main
characteristics such as the components labeled
genital tubercle and penis. The
Sertoli cells triggers the production of Anti-Müllerian duct
hormone, which absorbs the Müllerian duct. In an adult male rabbit, the sheath of the penis is
cylinder-like and can be extruded as early as two months of age.[41] The scrotal sacs lay lateral to the
penis and contain epididymal fat pads which protect the testes. Between 10 and 14 weeks, the testes
descend and are able to retract into the pelvic cavity in order to thermoregulate.[41] Furthermore, the
secondary sex characteristics, such as the testes, are complex and secrete many compounds. These
compounds include fructose, citric acid, minerals, and a uniquely high amount of catalase.[40]
The adult female reproductive tract is bipartite, which prevents an embryo from translocating between
uteri.[42] The two uterine horns communicate to two cervixes and forms one vaginal canal. Along with
being bipartite, the female rabbit does not go through an estrus cycle, which causes mating induced
ovulation.[41]
The average female rabbit becomes sexually mature at three to

eight months of age and can conceive at any time of the year for
the duration of her life. Egg and sperm production can begin to
decline after three years.[40] During mating, the male rabbit will
mount the female rabbit from behind and insert his penis into the
female and make rapid pelvic hip thrusts. The encounter lasts only
20–40 seconds and after, the male will throw himself backwards
off the female.[43]
Diagram of the female rabbit
The rabbit gestation period is short and ranges from 28 to 36 days reproductive system with main
with an average period of 31 days. A longer gestation period will components labeled.
generally yield a smaller litter while shorter gestation periods will
give birth to a larger litter. The size of a single litter can range from
four to 12 kits allowing a female to deliver up to 60 new kits a year. After birth, the female can become
pregnant again as early as the next day.[41]
The mortality rates of embryos are high in rabbits and can be due to infection, trauma, poor nutrition
and environmental stress so a high fertility rate is necessary to counter this.[41]
Sleep
Rabbits may appear to be crepuscular, but their natural inclination is toward nocturnal activity.[44] In
2011, the average sleep time of a rabbit in captivity was calculated at 8.4 hours per day.[45] As with
other prey animals, rabbits often sleep with their eyes open, so that sudden movements will awaken
the rabbit to respond to potential danger.[46]
Diseases and immunity
In addition to being at risk of disease from common pathogens such as Bordetella bronchiseptica and
Escherichia coli, rabbits can contract the virulent, species-specific viruses RHD ("rabbit hemorrhagic
disease", a form of calicivirus)[47] or myxomatosis. Among the parasites that infect rabbits are
tapeworms (such as Taenia serialis), external parasites (including fleas and mites), coccidia species,
and Toxoplasma gondii.[48][49] Domesticated rabbits with a diet lacking in high fiber sources, such as
hay and grass, are susceptible to potentially lethal gastrointestinal stasis.[50] Rabbits and hares are
almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies to
humans.[51]
Encephalitozoon cuniculi, an obligate intracellular parasite is also capable of infecting many

mammals including rabbits.
Rabbit immunity has significantly diverged from other tetrapods in the manner it employs
immunoglobulin light chains.[52][53] In one case McCartney-Francis et al., 1984 discover a unique
additional disulfide bond between Cys 80 in Vκ and Cys 171 in Cκ.[52][53] They suggest that this may
serve to stabilise rabbit antibodies.[52][53] Meanwhile IGKC1 shows high amino acid divergence
between domesticated types and ferals derived from them.[53] This can be as high as 40%.[53]
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease is caused by strains of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV)
including type 2 (RHDV2).[54] RHDV2 was detected for the first time in Washington state, USA in
May 2022 and then in August once in Washington and twice in Oregon.[55]
Ecology
Rabbits are prey animals and are therefore constantly aware of
their surroundings. For instance, in Mediterranean Europe,
rabbits are the main prey of red foxes, badgers, and Iberian
lynxes.[56] If confronted by a potential threat, a rabbit may freeze
and observe then warn others in the warren with powerful thumps
on the ground. Rabbits have a remarkably wide field of vision, and
a good deal of it is devoted to overhead scanning.[57] The doe
(mother) is aware that she gives off scent which can attract
Rabbit kits one hour after birth
predators, so she will stay away from the nest to avoid putting the
kits (babies) in danger, returning the nest only a few times a day to
feed the kits.[58]
Rabbits survive predation by burrowing, hopping away in a zig-zag motion, and, if captured,
delivering powerful kicks with their hind legs. Their strong teeth allow them to eat and to bite in order
to escape a struggle.[59] The longest-lived rabbit on record, a domesticated European rabbit living in
Tasmania, died at age 18.[60] The lifespan of wild rabbits is much shorter; the average longevity of an
eastern cottontail, for instance, is less than one year.[61]
Habitat and range
Rabbit habitats include meadows, woods, forests, grasslands,

deserts and wetlands.[62] Rabbits live in groups, and the best
known species, the European rabbit, lives in burrows, or rabbit
holes. A group of burrows is called a warren.[62]
More than half the world's rabbit population resides in North

America.[62] They are also native to southwestern Europe,
Southeast Asia, Sumatra, some islands of Japan, and in parts of
Africa and South America. They are not naturally found in most of Domestic rabbit photographed at
Eurasia, where a number of species of hares are present. Rabbits Alligator Bay, Beauvoir, France.
first entered South America relatively recently, as part of the Great
American Interchange. Much of the continent has just one species
of rabbit, the tapeti, while most of South America's southern cone is without rabbits.
The European rabbit has been introduced to many places around the world.[11] A recent study found
that "the (so-called) Chinese rabbits were introduced from Europe. Genetic diversity in Chinese
rabbits was very low."[63]
Rabbits have been launched into space orbit.[64]
Environmental problems
Rabbits have been a source of environmental problems when

introduced into the wild by humans. As a result of their appetites,
and the rate at which they breed, feral rabbit depredation can be
problematic for agriculture. Gassing (fumigation of warrens),[65]
barriers (fences), shooting, snaring, and ferreting have been used
to control rabbit populations, but the most effective measures are
diseases such as myxomatosis (myxo or mixi, colloquially) and
calicivirus. In Europe, where rabbits are farmed on a large scale,
they are protected against myxomatosis and calicivirus with a Impact of rabbit-proof fence, Cobar,
genetically modified virus. The virus was developed in Spain, and New South Wales, 1905
is beneficial to rabbit farmers. If it were to make its way into wild
populations in areas such as Australia, it could create a population
boom, as those diseases are the most serious threats to rabbit survival. Rabbits in Australia and New
Zealand are considered to be such a pest that land owners are legally obliged to control them.[66][67]
As food and clothing

In some areas, wild rabbits and hares are hunted for their meat, a lean source of high quality
protein.[68] In the wild, such hunting is accomplished with the aid of trained falcons, ferrets, or dogs,
as well as with snares or other traps, and rifles. A caught rabbit may be dispatched with a sharp blow
to the back of its head, a practice from which the term rabbit punch is derived.
Wild leporids comprise a small portion of global rabbit-meat consumption. Domesticated descendants
of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that are bred and kept as livestock (a practice called
cuniculture) account for the estimated 200 million tons of rabbit meat produced annually.[69]
Approximately 1.2 billion rabbits are slaughtered each year for meat worldwide.[70] In 1994, the
countries with the highest consumption per capita of rabbit meat were Malta with 8.89 kg (19 lb
10 oz), Italy with 5.71 kg (12 lb 9 oz), and Cyprus with 4.37 kg (9 lb 10 oz), falling to 0.03 kg (1 oz) in
Japan. The figure for the United States was 0.14 kg (5 oz) per capita. The largest producers of rabbit
meat in 1994 were China, Russia, Italy, France, and Spain.[71] Rabbit meat was once a common
commodity in Sydney, Australia, but declined after the myxomatosis virus was intentionally
introduced to control the exploding population of feral rabbits in the area.
In the United Kingdom, fresh rabbit is sold in butcher shops and markets, and some supermarkets sell
frozen rabbit meat. At farmers markets there, including the famous Borough Market in London, rabbit
carcasses are sometimes displayed hanging, unbutchered (in the traditional style), next to braces of
pheasant or other small game. Rabbit meat is a feature of Moroccan cuisine, where it is cooked in a
tajine with "raisins and grilled almonds added a few minutes before serving".[72] In China, rabbit meat
is particularly popular in Sichuan cuisine, with its stewed rabbit, spicy diced rabbit, BBQ-style rabbit,
and even spicy rabbit heads, which have been compared to spicy duck neck.[69] Rabbit meat is
comparatively unpopular elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific.
An extremely rare infection associated with rabbits-as-food is tularemia (also known as rabbit fever),
which may be contracted from an infected rabbit.[73] Hunters are at higher risk for tularemia because
of the potential for inhaling the bacteria during the skinning process.
In addition to their meat, rabbits are used for their wool, fur, and pelts, as well as their nitrogen-rich
manure and their high-protein milk.[74] Production industries have developed domesticated rabbit
breeds (such as the well-known Angora rabbit) to efficiently fill these needs.
In art, literature, and culture

Rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility or rebirth, and have long been associated with spring
and Easter as the Easter Bunny. The species' role as a prey animal with few defenses evokes
vulnerability and innocence, and in folklore and modern children's stories, rabbits often appear as
sympathetic characters, able to connect easily with youth of all kinds (for example, the Velveteen
Rabbit, or Thumper in Bambi).
With its reputation as a prolific breeder, the rabbit juxtaposes sexuality with innocence, as in the
Playboy Bunny. The rabbit (as a swift prey animal) is also known for its speed, agility, and endurance,
symbolized (for example) by the marketing icons the Energizer Bunny and the Duracell Bunny.
Folklore
The rabbit often appears in folklore as the trickster archetype, as he uses his cunning to outwit his
enemies.
In Aztec mythology, a pantheon of four hundred rabbit gods known as Centzon Totochtin, led by
Ometochtli or Two Rabbit, represented fertility, parties, and drunkenness.
In Central Africa, the common hare (Kalulu), is "inevitably described" as a trickster figure.[75]
In Chinese folklore, rabbits accompany Chang'e on the Moon. In the Chinese New Year, the
zodiacal rabbit is one of the twelve celestial animals in the Chinese zodiac. Note that the
Vietnamese zodiac includes a zodiacal cat in place of the rabbit, possibly because rabbits did not
inhabit Vietnam. The most common explanation is that the ancient Vietnamese word for "rabbit"
(mao) sounds like the Chinese word for "cat" (卯, mao).[76]
In Japanese tradition, rabbits live on the Moon where they make mochi, the popular snack of
mashed sticky rice. This comes from interpreting the pattern of dark patches on the moon as a
rabbit standing on tiptoes on the left pounding on an usu, a Japanese mortar.
In Jewish folklore, rabbits (shfanim ‫ )שפנים‬are associated with cowardice, a usage still current in
contemporary Israeli spoken Hebrew (similar to the English colloquial use of "chicken" to denote
cowardice).
In Korean mythology, as in Japanese, rabbits live on the moon making rice cakes ("Tteok" in
Korean).
In Anishinaabe traditional beliefs, held by the Ojibwe and some other Native American peoples,
Nanabozho, or Great Rabbit, is an important deity related to the creation of the world.
A Vietnamese mythological story portrays the rabbit of innocence and youthfulness. The gods of
the myth are shown to be hunting and killing rabbits to show off their power.
Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism have associations with an ancient circular motif called the
three rabbits (or "three hares"). Its meaning ranges from "peace and tranquility", to purity or the
Holy Trinity, to Kabbalistic levels of the soul or to the Jewish diaspora. The tripartite symbol also
appears in heraldry and even tattoos.
The rabbit as trickster is a part of American popular culture, as Br'er Rabbit (from African-American
folktales and, later, Disney animation) and Bugs Bunny (the cartoon character from Warner Bros.), for
example.
Anthropomorphized rabbits have appeared in film and literature, in Alice's Adventures in

Wonderland (the White Rabbit and the March Hare characters), in Watership Down (including the
film and television adaptations), in Rabbit Hill (by Robert Lawson), and in the Peter Rabbit stories
(by Beatrix Potter). In the 1920s Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was a popular cartoon character.
A rabbit's foot may be carried as an amulet, believed to bring protection and good luck. This belief is
found in many parts of the world, with the earliest use being recorded in Europe c. 600 BC.[77]
On the Isle of Portland in Dorset, UK, the rabbit is said to be unlucky and even speaking the creature's
name can cause upset among older island residents. This is thought to date back to early times in the
local quarrying industry where (to save space) extracted stones that were not fit for sale were set aside
in what became tall, unstable walls. The local rabbits' tendency to burrow there would weaken the
walls and their collapse resulted in injuries or even death. Thus, invoking the name of the culprit
became an unlucky act to be avoided. In the local culture to this day, the rabbit (when he has to be
referred to) may instead be called a “long ears” or “underground mutton”, so as not to risk bringing a
downfall upon oneself.[78] While it was true 50 years ago that a pub on the island could be emptied by
calling out the word "rabbit", this has become more fable than fact in modern times.
In other parts of Britain and in North America, invoking the rabbit's name may instead bring good
luck. "Rabbit rabbit rabbit" is one variant of an apotropaic or talismanic superstition that involves
saying or repeating the word "rabbit" (or "rabbits" or "white rabbits" or some combination thereof)
out loud upon waking on the first day of each month, because doing so will ensure good fortune for
the duration of that month.
The "rabbit test" is a term, first used in 1949, for the Friedman test, an early diagnostic tool for
detecting a pregnancy in humans. It is a common misconception (or perhaps an urban legend) that
the test-rabbit would die if the woman was pregnant. This led to the phrase "the rabbit died"
becoming a euphemism for a positive pregnancy test.
Rabbit fools "Three rabbits" motif, Beatrix Potter's WWII USAF pilot Saint Jerome in the
Elephant by showing Coat of arms of Peter Rabbit D. R. Emerson "with Desert, by Taddeo
the reflection of the Corbenay, France a rabbit's foot Crivelli (died about
moon. Illustration talisman, a gift from 1479)
(from 1354) of the a New York girl [Note rabbit being
Panchatantra friend" chased by a
domesticated hound]
See also
Lagomorpha portal
Animal track List of animal names

Cuniculture List of rabbit breeds
Dwarf rabbit Lop rabbit
Hare games Rabbits in the arts
Jackalope Rabbit show jumping
Lethal dwarfism in rabbits
References
Notes
a. This genus is considered a hare, not a rabbit
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Further reading
Windling, Terri. The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares (https://web.archive.org/web/201205031619

49/http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/rrRabbits.html)[Usurped!]
External links
American Rabbit Breeders Association (http://www.arba.net/) organization, which promotes all
phases of rabbit keeping
House Rabbit Society (https://www.rabbit.org/) an activist organization that promotes keeping
rabbits indoors
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2/20/23, 9:57 PM Rabbit - Wikipedia

Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs like rabbits have

Terminology and etymology European rabbit (Oryctolagus

Romerolagus diazi Sylvilagus aquaticus

Sylvilagus audubonii Sylvilagus bachmani Sylvilagus brasiliensis

Differences from hares

The term rabbit is typically used for all

Lepus species are typically precocial,

Because the rabbit's epiglottis is engaged over the soft palate

Since speed and agility are a rabbit's main defenses against

Most wild rabbits (especially compared to hares) have relatively

Hind limb elements

through endochondral ossification

predators from far away. Contrasted to cotton tailed rabbits, their

The auricle, also known as the pinna, is a rabbit's outer ear.[22]

Thermoregulation is the process that an organism utilizes to

Because rabbits cannot vomit,[37] if buildup occurs within the

The adult male reproductive

The average female rabbit becomes sexually mature at three to

Diseases and immunity

Encephalitozoon cuniculi, an obligate intracellular parasite is also capable of infecting many

Habitat and range

Rabbit habitats include meadows, woods, forests, grasslands,

More than half the world's rabbit population resides in North

Rabbits have been launched into space orbit.[64]

Rabbits have been a source of environmental problems when

As food and clothing

In art, literature, and culture

Anthropomorphized rabbits have appeared in film and literature, in Alice's Adventures in

Animal track List of animal names

12. "What do Rabbits See?" (http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/vision.html?1). Archived (https://web.archi

Windling, Terri. The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares (https://web.archive.org/web/201205031619

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2/20/23, 9:57 PM Rabbit - Wikipedia