Description of the wild rabbit. Wild (European) rabbit, photos, videos, food, species, interesting facts. Rabbits in the wild

A rabbit is a mammal that belongs to the order Lagomorphs, the hare family. These animals are not only bred for the sake of meat and fur, but are also kept at home as decorative pets.

Rabbits are often confused with rodents, and at one time even belonged to the general class of rodents. An important difference rabbits from rodents is that rodents have 2 incisors on the upper jaw, and rabbits on the upper jaw have 4 incisors growing one after another. In total, rabbits have 28 teeth. 16 teeth are located on the upper jaw: 4 of them are incisors and 6 molars on each side. 12 teeth are on the lower jaw: 2 incisors and 5 molars on each side. Newborn rabbits have 16 milk teeth (6 incisors and 10 false molars). Animals do not have canines, and there is a space of about 3 centimeters between the molars and incisors.

The incisors are used to cut food, and the molars are used to chew food. The incisors of rabbits are rootless and grow throughout the life of the animals, increasing by an average of 2.5 mm per week. In connection with this fact, animals need to constantly consume roughage and wash the growing part of the teeth.

How long do rabbits live?

In the wild, the lifespan of rabbits usually does not exceed 3-4 years. In conditions of competent home keeping, rabbits live from 4-5 to 13-15 years. The oldest domestic rabbit died at the age of 19.

The lifespan of rabbits can vary depending on:

• breed affiliation,
• genetic characteristics,
• feeding,
• in males - on the frequency of mating,
• in females - on the frequency of births.

That is why, if they do not plan to get offspring from rabbits, individuals are sometimes sterilized, which increases the life expectancy of animals.

Rabbits of meat and down breeds live on average 4 years, but with a reduced intensity or complete absence of reproduction of offspring and high-quality content, this indicator increases to 5-7 years.

Decorative rabbits live at home from 5 to 8 years, although among them there are specimens that live up to 10-12 years.

Dwarf rabbits have average duration life is 5-7 years, however, with good and careful care, some individuals live for 12-13 years.

Without the necessary information and experience, it is easy to confuse a rabbit with, although these animals have a number of characteristic distinctive features:

Where do rabbits live in nature?

Most of the species of rabbits live in North America, the second place is taken by the countries of South America. Also, the modern distribution area of ​​rabbits includes Africa, Western and Central Europe, the countries of Scandinavia and the Mediterranean, islands The Pacific and the Atlantic. However, thanks to the domestication of the wild European rabbit (Latin Oryctolagus cuniculus), which originally lived only in southern Europe, today these eared animals have spread to almost all continents.

Rabbits are animals that lead exclusively terrestrial existence, most often choosing places with rugged relief and rather dense vegetation for habitation. They prefer to settle along ravines and ravines with steep banks, they feel comfortable in forests, in meadows and glades overgrown with bushes or tall grass. But the mountainous areas located above 500-600 meters above sea level, and very wetlands, most species try to avoid.

Often, rabbits live in close proximity to a person, taking a liking to wastelands or dumps, as well as the outskirts settlements... An important factor when choosing a habitat is the peculiarity of the soil: rabbits often dig holes, and sometimes whole systems of underground passages, so they try to choose areas with light soils, since it is quite difficult to equip a hole in clay and rocky soils. Often, animals occupy ready-made burrows dug and abandoned by other animals.

Most species of rabbits are sedentary, occupying a certain territory from 0.5 to 20 hectares, which is marked with an odorous secret. An individual plot is occupied by a family group of 8-10 adults, headed by a dominant male with a female.

What do rabbits eat?

The basis of the rabbit's diet is the green parts of the plants, and the menu is formed by the available feed. In addition to herbs, wild and cultivated grains, cabbage, lettuce, root vegetables, and sometimes small insects are eaten. The winter diet includes bark and branches of trees, underground parts of plants that can be obtained from under the snow. In the absence of food, rabbits practice coprophagy - eating their own feces.

Types of rabbits, photos and names.

The modern classification within the hare family distinguishes several genera of rabbits, most of which the American species are. Below are descriptions and photographs of some species:

• he is European rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus)

the only domesticated rabbit that has given birth to many modern breeds. This small animal grows up to 31-45 cm in length with a body weight of 1.3-2.5 kg. The ears of a rabbit are shorter than the skull and have a length of 6 to 7.2 cm. The back of a wild rabbit is brownish-gray in color, possibly with a redhead. A faded strip of light fur runs along the sides of the animal, forming a wide spot on the thighs. The belly is white or light gray, the tips of the ears are edged with black, the tip of the tail is black or gray, the bottom of the tail is white, the top is black-brown. In 3-5% of cases, there are rabbits of black, light gray, white or variegated colors. The main habitats of the rabbit are rugged shrub landscapes: ravines, quarries, coastal cliffs - places with light, sandy soil, convenient for digging winding holes. Wild rabbits eat the leaves and stems of plants, and in the fields and gardens they get cabbage, lettuce, and grain crops. With the onset of cold weather, the bark and branches of trees and shrubs become the main source of nutrition, in the absence of food - their own excrement. The wild rabbit is scattered across all continents except Antarctica and Asia. In Russia, it can be found in the North Caucasus and in the Azov region.

• Water rabbit(Sylvilagus aquaticus)

swims perfectly, due to which it got its name. A large animal grows in length up to 45-55 cm and weighs from 1.6 to 2.7 kg. The general color of rabbit fur ranges from reddish brown to almost black, only the throat, belly and underside of the tail are white, and the eyes are surrounded by a dark ring. The food is based on various herbs and grains, including cane. The water rabbit lives in swamps and other humid areas in the southern United States, from Texas to South Carolina.

• Ginger rabbit(Pronolagus randensis)

a species of African rabbit that lives exclusively in the highlands. The ginger rabbit has a fairly large body, 42 to 50 cm long, and large ears. The rabbit weighs about 2.3 kg. A distinctive feature of the species is a light silky reddish-brown coat with gray hair and a large brick tail with a black tip. These animals feed on insects and all kinds of vegetation: cereals, foliage, fruits. The largest population of animals lives in the rocky mountains of Africa: in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

• Aydah rabbit he is pygmy rabbit(Brachylagus idahoensis)

the smallest rabbit in the world, has very short hind legs, and therefore does not have the ability to move by jumping like other hares. Representatives of the species grow in length from 22 to 28 cm with a body weight of 250 to 450 g. The rabbit fur on the back is yellow-brown in color, the belly and paws are lighter. Aydah rabbit - typical representative fauna of the northwestern states of the United States (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming), where it usually settles in thickets of three-toothed wormwood, which is its main source of food.

• Rabbit Nuttala(Sylvilagus nuttallii)

very similar to the blue hare, but is smaller and has a characteristic brown spot on the back of the head. The body length of the mammal is 33-40 cm, the length of the tail is 2.5-5 cm. Representatives of the species have very long hind legs with large feet covered with long thick hair. The main color of the fur is light brown. The rabbit feeds on grasses such as wheatgrass, bluegrass and quinoa, bark and branches of plants are added in winter. The Nuttala rabbit lives in the mountainous regions of Canada and the United States (from Arizona to the Cascade Mountains).

• California rabbit(Sylvilagus bachmani)

a large animal that grows in length up to 50 cm. The weight of a rabbit is about 4 kg. A distinctive feature is the ability of the rabbit to successfully climb low trees and bushes. The animal feeds on various grasses, berries and leaves of overgrown vegetation (for example,), in which it prefers to live. The range of the species runs across Central America along the Pacific coast from Colombia in the south to the Sierra Nevada in the east.

• Steppe rabbit(Sylvilagus audubonii)

outwardly resembles a European wild rabbit, but differs in much larger ears with an upright set. The size of rabbits ranges from 33 to 43 cm with a weight of about 1.5 kg, and the length of the ears reaches 10 cm. The color of the back is grayish brown, the belly is almost white. Steppe rabbits eat a variety of grains, grasses, and also those growing in their favorite habitat - the desert pastures of the southwest of America. Also, the steppe rabbit can be found in a more humid area - pine-juniper forests. The range of the species runs through the western territory of North America through Texas to Central Mexico.

• Tailless rabbit he is volcanic rabbit or teporingo(Romerolagus diazi)

one of the smallest rabbits that lives only in the mountains of Central Mexico near the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Istaxihuatl. Its length does not exceed 32 cm, and its weight barely reaches 600 g. The animal is distinguished by compact, rounded ears and such a small tail that it is impossible to see it. Tailless rabbits live in pine forests located high in the mountains, often up to 4.2 km above sea level. The main food of the rabbit is grassy vegetation. The biotopes of these animals cover woodlands, steppes, meadows, pastures, deserts, as well as wet, swampy lands.

Breeding rabbits

Rabbits are considered one of the most prolific mammals and can reproduce all year round, during which one rabbit brings from 3 to 5 litters. The sexual maturity of rabbits occurs at the age of 5-6 months, so the rabbits born at the beginning of the year are already able to reproduce in the summer. Rabbits are polygamous animals, although some individuals are monogamous, and males live on the site of a particular rabbit.

Rabbit gestation lasts 28 to 40 days, with a litter of 2 to 12 pups, although usually 4 to 7. The largest documented litter is 24 rabbits.

American rabbits build nests on the ground, burrowing females arrange a nest underground, lining the bottom with down combed from their belly.

Newborn rabbits usually weigh 40-50 grams and receive their sight on day 10, and on day 25 they are completely ready for independent life, although they feed on their mother's milk for another week.

Starting from 3-4 weeks of life, little rabbits begin to eat food in addition to mother's milk.

Despite caring for the offspring, many females are ready to mate a few hours after giving birth.

In 60% of pregnancies, the embryos dissolve, but on average one female rabbit increases the total population by 20-30 cubs per year.

Decorative rabbits: maintenance and care

The wild rabbit was domesticated over a thousand years ago, and since then, various breeds of decorative rabbits have been kept as pets. All potential rabbit owners need to keep in mind that these gnawing and digging animals can cause significant property damage.

The rabbit will need a spacious cage that is 4 times the size of the animal. Domestic rabbits are very sensitive animals, so the cage is placed in an area free from drafts and direct sunlight.

The rabbit's dwelling should have a place for a pallet, drinkers, feeders and, preferably, for a decorative shelter house. Sawdust, straw or shavings are poured into the pallet, which are regularly changed.

How to feed rabbits at home?

The basis of the diet of a domestic rabbit is hay, of which there should always be a lot, feed and water. Compound feed pellets are important for normal digestion, hay provides thick stool, and water should be boiled and always fresh.

Complementary food for ornamental rabbits can consist of various herbs: chamomile, mouse peas, alfalfa, stellate, yarrow, oak in small quantities.

Salt and vitamin stone, chalk are used as mineral supplements. In summer, young leaves of trees are added to the diet, in winter - branches of conifers.

Rabbit breeds with pictures and names

Today in rabbit breeding there are many breeds of rabbits, while animals are usually divided into several groups according to productivity, depending on body weight and hair length. This classification highlights:

• Meat breeds,
• Fur (meat and skin) breeds,
• Downy breeds,
• Decorative and dwarf breeds.

There is also a classification of breeds by country. Below are just a few of the countries:

• German rabbit breeds (German motley giant, Riesen, German sheep, German chief);
• Soviet rabbit breeds (Soviet chinchilla, Soviet Marder, Russian ermine, Gray giant);
• French rabbit breeds (Alaska, French Papillon, Champagne, French Sheep, Rex, Chinchilla, Burgundy, Silver, Hotot, Harlequin);
• American rabbit breeds (Californian, New Zealand White, American Sable, Palomino, Silver Fox, American Furry Fold).

Rabbits of meat breeds, photo and description

Rabbits of meat breeds have a fairly developed muscles, feed quickly and are distinguished by a large slaughter weight. Young animals are ready for sale for meat at the age of three to four months, and by six months the rabbit gives a good skin. Below is a description of some meat breeds of rabbits with photos:

• Burgundy rabbit

it is a breed developed in France. Animals have a slightly elongated body with a short neck and a fairly wide back, chest and croup. Rabbits of the Burgundy breed grow very quickly and gain weight: at the age of four months, the individual reaches a weight of 4-4.5 kg. This early maturity of the breed is very much appreciated by rabbit breeders raising a rabbit for meat.

it is a French rabbit breed. The animal has a strong but harmonious constitution with well-developed muscles. Rabbits of the silver breed have a body length of 54-57 cm, as well as large and wide chest and croup. The weight of an adult rabbit is from 4.5 to 6.7 kg. A distinctive feature of the breed is a silvery-smoky shade of fur, which is evenly colored throughout the skin.

Breeders still argue about the origin of the breed and have not come to a consensus about the country in which the Flanders appeared, although they are more inclined towards Belgium. Rabbits of the Flandre breed are quite large in size: with a slightly elongated body length of 65-67 cm, the weight of an animal can reach 10-12 kg. Thick fur color varies from gray to gray-black, grayish-red, sandy, silvery or white shades. The Flandr rabbit is very fertile and unpretentious in care, it grows quickly, therefore it is considered one of the best meat breeds.

• Rabbits Risen

it is a breed from Germany. Today, Riesen rabbits are considered the largest among their eared counterparts. With a massive body length of 70-75 cm, some specimens reach a weight of 12-14 kg. The color of the skin can be very different: dark gray, sand, blue, black, brown-gray.

• California rabbit

it is a meat breed of rabbits bred in the USA. The animals have a special color: the body is white, and the tail, nose, limbs and ears are black, chocolate and gray-blue. The massive, stocky body perfectly meets the criteria inherent in meat breeds. Rabbits of the Californian breed grow rapidly: five-month-old animals weigh 3-3.7 kg, and at the age of six months they gain weight up to 6-7 kg.

There are characteristic features that distinguish them from other lagomorphs.

Regardless of the species or group, these animals are endowed with special features, their own signs.

Only a complete lack of experience, observation and knowledge in the field of fur animal husbandry does not allow us to say which animal settled in the aviary. Short-term care and communication will immediately fill in the gaps, and will provide an opportunity to figure it out.

Memorable appearance or special anatomical structure of the body

The body of a hare is more elongated and large in size with a seasonally changing color depending on the season.

Summer wool cover dark or with variegated stains, in winter - brightens or bleaches.

The rabbit looks more modest and does not repaint the fur coat.

The weight of adults depends on the species (there are miniature pygmies that do not reach 400 g), mainly fluctuates between 2-3 kg.

Attention should be paid to the length of the limbs. Hare paws are muscular, strong, formed under the influence of the instinct of self-preservation. The limbs are adapted for fast running through fields, ravines, high jumps. The rabbit does not need steep turns.

For its range of life, gentle, short, neat legs are quite enough to move calmly, evenly. But large soft pads and powerful claws, adapted for digging deep underground passages. They move along the surface only on the toes, relying on all points at once (5 on the front paw and 4 on the back).

Long high bunny ears are not needed either.

Their locating abilities are designed for a delicate, thin, medium-sized auricle.

They look proportionally on the head with uniformly smooth bow shapes and shortened antennae.

The fur is thick, intensely colored, soft to the touch, without stiffness.

Moults twice a year. Gray, yellow-brown colors with a monochromatic undercoat predominate.

Do not change for summer or winter. Scientists engaged in detailed study find differences in structure. internal organs... For example:

• The position of the epiglottis above the palate opens the way for nasal breathing.
• Intestinal digestion, the process of which takes place with a huge participation of the cecum.
• The musculature of the tract is designed in such a way that there is a clear distinction between solid fibrous residues and easily assimilated substances.
• The structure of the cranium and not the same development of individual bones.
• The teeth (incisors) are arranged in 2 rows.
• The width of the lumbar vertebrae is several percent greater.
• Muscle contraction occurs almost similarly to hares, except for the frequency of the heartbeat.

Each trait manifests itself to a certain extent depending on. The difference between lagomorphs is clearly visible in the way of life.

Habits and character

The heightened struggle for survival in the world around them left a deep imprint on the animals. They manage to live calmly in natural conditions only thanks to high vigilance and consideration. Constant vigilance to calculate the threat, makes you constantly be on the alert, survey the open area. A hole serves as a reliable fortress, a shelter from enemies.

Digging for (European Common) shelters is just as important as foraging.

They build whole underground "cottages" with a system of passages and can spend all their free time from eating and walking in the air.

Here maternity wards and primary nurseries for offspring are arranged.

The offspring of rabbits is numerous (from 3 to 10 pieces), therefore special niches are equipped for it, lined with soft dry grass, leaves and mother's down. Bunnies are born helpless blind and naked, they need to be warmed, wrapped and protected from pests.

The protective barrier is the marks that the female leaves at the entrance. An excessively long absence of the mother near the cubs is not allowed.

During the first weeks, little mole rats suck milk. It is indicative that only a mother can feed babies. A blood relative is recognized by smell. they give reinforcement to any stranger hungry cub of their breed. Once in the vicinity of a cub in need of help, they will fulfill their duty to nature.

From the moment of birth, hares are endowed with relative independence. A house in a small open-air hole requires care and the possibility of additional heating. They immediately have a fur coat, open eyes, a developed sense of smell and the ability to run away from danger. The hare does not risk being left without food, it can be supported by any female running by, and this gives a great chance of survival, even if the mother has moved far away or died.

Replenishment in families appears more often (3-4 times a year), and not only in the spring, as in their relatives.

Due to their fertility, populations remain numerous even during periods of mortality due to epidemics and excessive activity of predators.

Rabbits live collectively, uniting in groups, they can be easily tamed and domesticated, raised in cages, hares are individual, form pairs for the mating season, do not survive in captivity.

There are a lot of differences behind the seemingly inexperienced similarity.

Where do rabbit families live and how they choose terrain

Any representative of the fauna cares about living conditions as seriously as about food supplies. Rabbits choose their habitat based on habits, expediency. They usually settle in areas with difficult terrain. Suitable for the construction of burrowing complexes:

• Hills.
• Steep banks of large rivers and seas.
• Beams with dense young growth and abandoned sand pits.
• Some species settle on the slopes of volcanoes.
• There are lovers of wetlands with hummocks.
• The only species of American rabbits does not dig tunnels, but lives in open fields, making holes like hares.
• The North Caucasian group can use dense thickets for housing.

In mountainous terrain, it is easier to deal with laying, expanding holes, residential chambers. But the soil should be pliable, not stony or clayey. The entrances are quite wide (up to 25 cm in diameter), covered with eaves. At a distance of 80-90 cm, the tunnel narrows slightly. The optimal height of "rooms" up to half a meter is sometimes less or more. To prevent the vaults from collapsing, the builders calculate the location under the roots of a tree or shrub.

Family clans own a space of several hectares, depending on the density of the grass cover. They do not move too far from the minks and if the feed runs out, does not recover, then they move to new housing. Families are polygamous, but there are also monogamous males.

The correct choice of location affects the well-being, number, course and end of life.

What the diet consists of, and how is the problem of vitamin deficiency solved?

The main menu of rabbits is the ground part of herbaceous shoots, young shrubs. In the summer they eat greens. They go to the vegetable fields,. They enjoy cabbage, beets, carrots, lettuce leaves are respected. Sometimes they sneak into orchards and dig for apples. In autumn, they are looking for hot spots in grain crops.

In winter, the diet changes. If you cannot get dry grass out from under the snow, the tips of the lower branches of cherry, apple, willow trees are used. Lack of moisture, nutrients is compensated by eating morning droppings. Such cecotrophs are like storage chambers for concentrated vitamins.

Useful waste is closed with a mucous capsule. They contain many enzymes that are important for digestion, cell growth, and metabolism. Special meaning they have for young animals during puberty and pregnancy.

In times of food shortages, to preserve life, they eat the bark of trees and try to climb higher in order to get juicier pieces. Because of these habits, rodents are considered pests of agricultural plantings.

Health and the course of life also depend on feeding. In nature, it lasts up to 3 years, although the potential is laid for 10-12 years. Nutrition is directly related to the number of animals per square meter, a vicious circle is obtained.

They are trying to regulate the number of individuals different ways... They hunt, carry out trapping, with the accelerated growth of the rabbit population, they use a bacteriological attack, spreading diseases by piece.

What climate do eared animals like?

Are rabbits everywhere?

Naturally, there is no basis for nutrition in the ice of Antarctica, and it is impossible to dig holes in the permafrost, which means that such animals cannot be found there.

Among the 20 known species of wild rabbits studied, only one lives in Europe, it was from him that domestic representatives divorced.

The rest are predominantly settled in America, Africa, Australia.

The wild, the prevalence of which has increased several times over the past century, have settled on those parts of the continents where warm mild climatic conditions prevail.

The primary area was limited to the African northwestern part, southern France, Iberia. The glacier did not stay in these regions, and food remained.

The main requirement for the success of the expansion of the territory of existence is the height and consistency of the snow cover throughout the winter. The less snow on the ground and the days of its continuous lying, the greater the percentage of survival of the furry settlers. The boundary snow threshold is considered to be a period of 3.5 months when the weather is relatively mild.

The Romans and Norman conquerors brought fur animals to the Mediterranean, Ireland and the British Isles. In the Middle Ages, they populated almost the entire European space, which made people with low and middle incomes happy, becoming useful prey for them.

Experienced rabbit breeders have known for a long time that sometimes their animals acquire a grayish-brown color and become similar to their wild ancestor. Who is this? Wild European rabbit! We will tell you about him and his wild brothers now.

The wild European rabbit can be found today not only in Europe. Even at the beginning of our era, the ancient Romans took with them on campaigns an animal, which was found in abundance in North Africa and the Pyrenees. It had tender meat and the ability to reproduce quickly. He took root in new places easily, since all that he needed was lush grass and soft soil to dig holes. In the video from Michael Billerbeck - one of these rabbits.

Later it turned out that the animal lends itself to selection - so rabbits from Europe became the ancestors of all modern breeds. This is the only wild species that humans have managed to domesticate. In total, there are about 20 species of wild rabbits in nature, which live mainly in America and Africa.

In Europe, as before, only one species lives - our friend. Back in the middle of the twentieth century, he destroyed crops and young orchards. But its population was reduced to an acceptable size. But the Australians have to fight him to this day.

In the middle of the 19th century, settlers brought wild rabbits from Europe in the hope of having delicious meat for lunch. But it turned out that there were no predators for these animals to serve as food. What started here! Rabbits from Europe began to spread across the continent, multiplying exponentially. When they brought them "as a gift" foxes, they began to eat less nimble food - marsupials. Then it was decided to build from north to south ... a fence - in the photo below one of its sections.

Main subspecies

In addition to the wild European, the American wire-haired rabbit is very numerous, numbering 13 species: Florida, river and marsh, pygmy, teporingo, steppe and others. They live in forests and bushes. Burrows do not dig, preferring secluded places in holes or occupying other people's dwellings. We propose to consider all types in more detail in the plate.

Lifestyle

Rabbits have many enemies, and rarely does one live to a natural death. Usually, by the end of the third year, only a third of the litter remains.

They only need grass and shrubs for food. Unlike hares, this is a collective animal that lives in small colonies of 8-10 individuals. A strict hierarchy reigns in the colony with the “supreme” male at the top. It can occupy from 0.2 to 20 hectares, tearing out an entire underground “city” with emergency exits on its “own” territory. As a rule, the rabbit does not go further than 100 meters from the course, preferring night forays for food.

Reproduction

For a year, a rabbit can have several okrols with a total number of up to 40 babies. She usually gives birth underground. Newborns have no fur, are blind and deaf. The mother feeds them with milk several times a day, but by the end of the first month she can quit, preparing for a new replenishment. This is another reason for the short life of the eared.

Economic value

Despite the tasty meat that rabbits are famous for, people's attitudes towards them are controversial. On the one hand, the European wild became the patriarch of all domestic long-eared animals. And it is still a subject of study with the aim of breeding new breeds and maintaining their good health.

The wild rabbit continues to be an object of hunting for people. Especially in Australia, where its meat has even become one of the export items.

On the other hand, wild eared ears are enemies of crops and young trees. And therefore, not a single farmer is happy with the appearance of a colony of these animals in his area, destroying them, if possible, as malicious pests.
But thanks to the fantastic fertility today, the extinction of wild rabbits is not threatened. They continue to be part of the living diversity of our planet.

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Steppe subspecies or Audubon Photo 2. Swamp animal eating leaves Photo 3. Florida subspecies close-up

Video "Wild Rabbit"

Sometimes the wild European rabbit has a bad time: the environment lacks nutrients. And he lets the food go ... in the second circle. You can learn more about the nutrition of animals from the video (DRUGOK.NET).

Appearance

Small animal: body length 31-45 cm, body weight 1.3-2.5 kg. The length of the ears is less than the length of the head, 6-7.2 cm. Feet are pubescent, claws are long and straight. The coloration of the upper body is usually brownish-gray, sometimes with a reddish tinge. The tip of the tail is black or gray. On the back, a dark brown streak is noticeable, formed by the ends of the guard hair. Black edges are visible at the ends of the ears; there are buffy spots on the neck behind the ears. A dull light stripe runs along the sides of the body, ending in a wide spot in the thigh area. The belly is white or light gray. The tail is brown-black above, white below. Quite often (3-5%) there are individuals of aberrant color - black, light gray, white, piebald. There is practically no seasonal color change. There are 44 chromosomes in the karyotype.

Rabbits molt 2 times a year. Spring molt begins in March. Females molt quickly, in about 1.5 months; in males, summer fur appears more slowly and traces of molting can be observed until summer. Autumn molt takes place in September-November.

Spreading

Initially, the rabbit's range was limited to the Iberian Peninsula and isolated areas in the south of France and north-west Africa: it is here that these thermophilic animals survived after the last large ice age... However, thanks to human economic activity, the rabbit has settled on all continents, except Asia and Antarctica. It is believed that the rabbits came to the Mediterranean region together with the Romans; Normans in the XII century. brought them to England and Ireland. In the Middle Ages, the rabbit spread almost throughout Europe.

The determining factor for the optimal vital activity of the species is the minimum number of days with snow cover per year (up to 37), as well as the maximum number of winters without stable snow cover (on average, no less than 79%). If the number of days with snow cover exceeds this indicator, the rabbit population becomes pulsating, i.e. in mild winters, in case of overpopulation, rabbits from more southern regions move to more northern regions, where they die again for more harsh winters... The maximum possible threshold is 102 days with snow cover.

Currently wild rabbits live in most regions of Western and Central Europe, Scandinavia, southern Ukraine, Crimea, North Africa; acclimatized in South Africa. On the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (in particular, the Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira Islands, Hawaii), rabbits were specially released so that they reproduce and serve as a source of food for the crews of passing ships. The total number of islands where rabbits have been introduced reaches 500; so, they live in a wild state on a number of islands of the Caspian Sea (Zhiloy, Nargen, Bullo, etc.), where they were brought in in the 19th century. In the middle of the 18th century. the rabbits were brought to Chile, from where they moved to Argentina on their own. They got to Australia in the city and a few years later - to New Zealand. In the 1950s. rabbits from the San Juan Islands, Washington were released in the eastern United States.

In Russia and CIS countries

Rabbits live in family groups of 8-10 adults. Groups have a rather complex hierarchical structure. The dominant male occupies the main burrow; the dominant female and her offspring live with him. Subordinate females live and raise offspring in separate burrows. The dominant male takes precedence during the breeding season. Most rabbits are polygamous, but some males are monogamous and keep in the area of ​​one specific female. Males jointly defend the colony from outsiders. There is mutual assistance between the members of the colony; they notify each other about the danger, knocking on the ground with their hind legs.

Nutrition

When feeding, rabbits do not move more than 100 m from burrows. In this regard, their diet does not differ in selectivity, and the composition of feed is determined by their availability. In winter and summer, food is different. In the summer they eat the green parts herbaceous plants; in the fields and gardens, they feed on lettuce, cabbage, various root crops and grain crops. In winter, in addition to dry grass, underground parts of plants are often dug up. Shoots and bark of trees and shrubs play a significant role in winter nutrition. They "ring" the trunks of cherries and acacia trees, in case of hunger they gnaw the bark of walnuts, try to climb trees and bush trees to a height of up to 1.5 m. In a situation of food shortage, they also eat their own feces (coprophagia).

Reproduction

Rabbits are very fertile. Breeding season covers most of the year. During the year, rabbits can bring offspring in some cases up to 2-4 times. So, in Southern Europe, the rabbit from March to October brings 3-5 litters of 5-6 rabbits. In the northern parts of the range, reproduction continues through June-July. Out of season, pregnant females are rare. Populations introduced in the Southern Hemisphere reproduce all year round under favorable conditions. In Australia, there is a break in breeding in the middle of summer, when the grass burns out.

Pregnancy lasts 28-33 days. The number of rabbits in a litter is 2-12, in the wild usually 4-7, on industrial farms 8-10. Postpartum estrus is characteristic, when females are ready to mate again within a few hours after giving birth. Average population growth per season is 20-30 rabbits per female female. In northern populations with less favorable climatic conditions there are no more than 20 rabbits per female; in the Southern Hemisphere - up to 40 rabbits. The number of cubs in a litter also depends on the age of the female: in females younger than 10 months, the average number of rabbits is 4.2; in adults - 5.1; from the age of 3 years, fertility decreases markedly. Up to 60% of pregnancies are not carried before delivery, and embryos spontaneously dissolve.

Before giving birth, the rabbit makes a nest inside the hole, combing out the underfur from the fur on the belly for it. Rabbits, unlike hares, are born naked, blind and completely helpless; at birth weigh 40-50 g. Their eyes open after 10 days; on the 25th day, they already begin to lead an independent lifestyle, although the female continues to feed them with milk up to 4 weeks of life. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 5-6 months, so that the rabbits of early litters at the end of summer can already reproduce. However, in wild populations, young rabbits rarely breed in the first year of life. In captivity, young female rabbits can produce offspring as early as 3 months old. Despite the high reproduction rate, due to the mortality of young animals in the wild, the profit of the population is only 10-11.5 rabbits per female. In the first 3 weeks of life, about 40% of young animals die; in the first year - up to 90%. Mortality from coccidiosis is especially high in rainy times, when the water floods the burrows. Few rabbits live to be 3 years old. The maximum life span is 12-15 years.

Number and significance for humans

The population size of wild rabbits is subject to significant changes, in some cases it can reach abnormally high levels. When massively multiplied, they harm forestry and agriculture.

They are fished for fur and meat. The rabbit was domesticated over 1000 years ago. Rabbit breeding for industrial purposes is dealt with by the livestock industry - rabbit breeding, food; used for experiments in genetics. Rabbits can also be kept as pets.

Rabbits as pests

In some areas, rabbits, in the absence of natural predators, do great harm, eating up vegetation, damaging crops and spoiling the land with their burrows. For example, on some islands in the Pacific Ocean, rabbits ate vegetation, which caused soil erosion and destruction of the coastal zone where seabirds nest.

However, the greatest damage was caused by the spread of rabbits in Australia, where they were introduced in the 18th century. In 1859, settler Tom Austin, who lived in Victoria, released 24 rabbits, they bred, and by 1900 their number in Australia was already estimated at 20 million. Rabbits eat grass, making food competition for sheep and large cattle... They cause even greater damage to the indigenous fauna and flora of Australia, eating relict vegetation and displacing native species that cannot compete with rapidly breeding rabbits. Shooting, poisoned baits are used as measures to combat rabbits; in addition, European predators were brought to Australia - fox, ferret, ermine, weasel. Mesh fences are being installed in places in Australia to prevent rabbits from settling in new areas. The most successful way to combat these pests was the "bacteriological warfare" of the 1950s, when they tried to infect rabbits with an acute viral disease - myxomatosis, which is endemic to South America. The initial effect was very large, in many areas of Australia, up to 90% of all rabbits became extinct. The surviving individuals developed immunity. The rabbit problem is still acute in Australia and

The length of their body is only 35-45 cm, the tail is 4-7 cm, the ears are 6-7 cm, and the average weight is 1.3-2.2 kilograms. The upper body color is formed by mixing light brown and black fur hair. The coat on the back is of a gray-brown dull color. The tail is two-colored: black-brown above, white below. The belly of wild rabbits and the underside of the paws are reddish-white. The hind legs are long enough. The feet are well furred, the nails are straight and long.

Wild rabbits are widespread in the Middle and Western Europe and North Africa. They also acclimatized in South and North America, Australia, New Zealand, on many islands and even in subantarctic regions.

For settlement, European rabbits prefer bushy areas with rugged terrain. These are gullies, ravines, abandoned quarries, steep banks of estuaries and seas. They are less common in gardens, forest belts, parks. The importance plays the character of soil suitable for digging for wild rabbits. The animals prefer to settle on light sandy soils and avoid clay, dense or rocky areas.

Wild rabbits are saddles. They occupy an area of ​​0.5-20 hectares, which are labeled with an odorous secretion from the skin glands. There is mutual assistance between the members of the colonies; pounding on the ground with their hind legs, they notify neighbors of the danger. Unlike hares, wild rabbits dig complex deep burrows in which they spend most of their lives. Burrows are of two types: simple - at a depth of 30-60 cm, with 1-3 exits and a nesting chamber; and complex - at a depth of up to 2.5-3 m, with 4-8 exits and a length of up to 45 m.

The animals usually do not move far from their holes and feed on adjacent areas, hiding in holes at the slightest danger. Wild rabbits leave their burrows only when the vegetation near the burrow is severely degraded or when it is destroyed. Rabbits run not too fast (20-25 km / h), but very nimble. therefore, it is difficult to catch an adult rabbit.

Wild rabbits feed on grass and juicy soft parts of other plants, and if there is a lack of food, they eat the bark of trees and branches of bushes. In winter and summer, the animals eat differently. In summer, they feed on the green parts of herbaceous plants, eat cabbage, various root crops and grain crops. In winter, in addition to dry grass, they often pull out underground parts of plants, gnaw the bark of shrubs and trees. In a situation of complete shortage of feed, they even eat their own feces.

Rabbits breed very quickly. At the age of less than a year, young individuals become sexually mature. Bunnies bring 3-4 litters per year, 3-7 rabbits in each. Rabbits are somewhat more fertile in southern Western European countries (3-5 litters of 5-6 rabbits each), and in Australia and New Zealand they multiply even faster. Before giving birth, the rabbits arrange a nest inside the holes. For bedding, combed down fur from fur on its own belly is used. Unlike rabbits, rabbits are born blind, naked and completely helpless, and weigh only 40-50 grams. After 10 days, their eyes open. on the 25th day, the kids begin to lead independent life, although the mother continues to feed them with milk until almost one month of age.

Despite the rapidity of reproduction, in the wild there is a very high mortality rate of young animals. During the first three weeks of life, almost 40% of young animals die, and in the first year about 90%. Especially high mortality from coccidiosis and, when burrows are flooded in rainy season. The maximum lifespan of wild rabbits is 12-15 years.

In Europe, rabbits are considered an object of hunting (the meat of these animals is used for food) and agricultural pests.