European Rabbits
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Oryctolagus
Species: O. cuniculus
Binomial name
Oryctolagus cuniculus
The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of
rabbit native to southern Europe. Because of its extreme
abundance in the Iberian Peninsula, Phoenicians chose the name
Spain after it. It has been widely introduced elsewhere often
with devastating effects on local biodiversity. However, its
decline there (caused by myxomatosis and viric pneumonia) has
caused the decline of its high dependent predators, the Spanish
Lynx and the Adalbert's Eagle.
European Rabbits are small, grey-brown mammals ranging from 34-45
cm (13-18 in) in length, and are approximately 1.3-2.2 kg (3-5
lb) in weight. As a lagomorph, they have four sharp incisors (two
on top, two on bottom) that grow continuously throughout their
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.
European Rabbits are well-known for digging networks of burrows
called warrens, where they spend most of their 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.
European Rabbits as an exotic pest
European Rabbits have 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.
European Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 by Thomas
Austin an estate holder in Victoria. They soon spread throughout
the country. 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.
See Also:
Index of All Rabbit Care & Bunny
Fun Stuff
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