Rabbit - Overview

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Species: Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit)

IUCN Status: Endangered (European rabbit)

Population Trend: decreasing

Distribution: originally from north-western Africa, Spain and Portugal but now widespread across much of Europe. Also introduced to many countries and islands, including Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Habitat: a wide variety, ranging from farmland to moorlands, woodlands and sand dunes.

Description: greyish-brown fur with orange at nape of neck (black rabbits are fairly common). Long ears (up to 7cm) but shorter than hares' and no black tips. Short tail, black on top and white underneath.

Size: Male (buck) 48cm (19in) long. Female (doe) smaller with narrower head.

Life-span: about 9 years. In the wild most rabbits live less than one year.

Food: mainly grasses, clovers and other green plants; also bark of trees.