Field Guide
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European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Not yet photographed by the community
Introduced by Normans; now a key part of the food chain.
Species Profile
Least Concern (UK), though populations have declined significantly since the 1950s due to myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease.
- Lifespan
- 8–9 years in the wild, up to 12 years in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 35–50 cm body length; 1.5–2.5 kg
- Habitat
- Open grasslands, heathlands, sand dunes, and agricultural land with access to burrows or warrens.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from northern Scotland and many upland areas. Resident year-round.
- Diet
- Grasses, clover, herbs, and vegetables; also bark and twigs in winter.
- Predators
- Red fox, stoat, weasel, tawny owl, buzzard, and golden eagle.
- Mating Season
- December to June, peaking in spring
- Breeding
- Gestation period 30–31 days; litter size 4–8 kits; females produce 3–4 litters per breeding season.
- Behaviour
- Highly social, living in underground burrow systems called warrens with dominant breeding pairs. Crepuscular and nocturnal; communicate through thumping hind legs and various vocalizations. Form hierarchical social groups with clear dominance structures.
- •European rabbits were introduced to Britain by the Normans in the 12th century for food and fur.
- •Myxomatosis arrived in the UK in 1953, devastating wild populations and killing up to 99% in some areas.
- •Rabbits are born blind, deaf, and hairless (altricial) in fur-lined underground breeding chambers called stops.
- •They can reach speeds of 55 km/h and have a sharp 90-degree turning ability to escape predators.
- •Wild British rabbit populations are now recovering in many areas due to natural resistance to viral diseases.
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