The length of their body is only 35-45 cm, the tail is 4-7 cm, ears 6-7 cm, and the weight average is 1.3-2.2 kilograms. The color of the top of the body is formed by mixing the hair of fur painted into light-brown and black color. Wool on the back of a gray-brown peeling. Two-color tail: on top black and brown, bottom - white. Gruco wild rabbits and laptian wear reddish-white. The rear paws are long enough. The feet are well published, claws straight and long.

Wild rabbits in Central and Western Europe and North Africa are widespread. They are also acclimatized in South and North America, Australia, New Zealand, in many islands and even in the subanutrctic areas.

For the settlement, European rabbits prefer shrub shrub space with crossed terrain. These are beams, ravines, abandoned careers, climb of the shore of the estuary and the seas. They are less common in the gardens, forest belts, parks. The nature of the soil suitable for digging is important for wild rabbits. The animals prefer to set on light sandy soils and avoid clay, dense or stony areas.

Wild rabbits settled. They occupy an area of \u200b\u200b0.5-20 hectares., Which will be smelted by a secret of the skin glands. Between members of the colonies there is a mutual execution; Studding with rear legs on the ground, they notify their neighbors about the danger. Unlike hares, wild rabbits are digging complex deep holes in which they spend most of their lives. Noras are two types: simple - at a depth of 30-60 cm, with 1-3 outputs and a nesting chamber; and complex - at a depth of 2.5-3 m, with 4-8 outputs and up to 45 m long.

From the holes of the animals, they usually do not go far and feed on the stunned areas, hiding in the larches at the slightest danger. Cutting holes Wild rabbits leave only with severe vegetation degradation near the hole or when it is destruction. Rabbits run not too fast (20-25 km / h), but very vertical. Therefore, catch an adult rabbit is quite difficult.

Wild rabbits feed grass and juicy soft parts of other plants, and with disadvantages of food eating the bark of trees and branches of shrubs. In winter and summer, animals feed in different ways. In summer, they feed on green parts of grassy plants, peeled cabbage, various root crops and grain crops. In winter, in addition to dry grass, the underground parts of the plants are often escaping, grows shrubs and trees. In the public deficit, even their own feces eat.

Rabbits breed very quickly. At the age of less than a year, young individuals become already having sex. Rabbirds bring 3-4 liters per year 3-7 rabbits in each. Some more prolific rabbits in the southern Western European countries (3-5 liters of 5-6 rabbits), and in Australia and New Zealand, they reproduce even faster. Before childbirth, rabbits are arranged inside the hole nest. For the litter use the combed let's hang out of fur on its own belly. Unlike engaged, rabbits are born blind, bare and very helpless, and weigh only 40-50 grams. After 10 days, they open their eyes. On 25 days, the kids are beginning to lead an independent life, although the mother continues to feed them with milk almost to monthly age.

Despite the speed of reproduction, in the wild, very high mortality of young people. During the first three weeks of life, almost 40% of young people die, and in the first year about 90%. Especially high mortality from coccidiosis and, when flooding the holes on a rainy time. The maximum life expectancy of wild rabbits is 12-15 years.

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

European or wild rabbit (from Latin Oranctolagus CUNICULUS) [Animal Kingdom\u003e Type of Horde\u003e Mammal Class\u003e Infrared Placementary\u003e Title Title\u003e Barette Family] - Mammal, Representative of Rabbits, which has South European origins. It is this kind of rabbits is the only one who was massively domesticated and is the predecessor of the entire modern diversity of breeds of rabbits. But there is an unsuccessful experience of domestication of a wild rabbit, for example, when he was trying to domesticated in the original Australian ecosystem, this led to an environmental disaster. The wild rabbit was domesticated during the time of the Roman Empire, and is still a fishing animal that is grown to obtain meat and fur.

Externally, the wild rabbit is a small animal, which looks like a hare, but only less in size. The body length of representatives of this type of rabbits ranges from 31 to 45 cm. The body weight can reach 1.3-2.5 kg. The length of the ears is 6-7.2 cm. The rear paws are quite small, relative to other types of hares.

The color of the wild rabbit body is brown-gray, in some parts a little reddish. The tips of the ears and the tail always have a dark color, and the belly is opposite - white or light gray. The molting of wild rabbits passes quite quickly but not much noticeable, the spring molting lasts from mid-March and until the end of May, and the autumn - from September to November.

The habitat of wild rabbits is quite wide, the largest population is concentrated in the countries of Central, Southern Europe and North Africa. There were attempts to acclimatize the wild rabbit in North and South America, as well as Australia, it is impossible to say that they were successful, but today in these parts of the world you can meet representatives of this type of rabbits.

The habitat of wild rabbits is also significantly varied, they can live almost on all types of terrain (although they avoid dense forests),
absolutely not afraid approaching settlements and can live even in mountain regions (but do not rise above 600 m above sea level).

The daily activity of the wild rabbit depends on the degree of danger, which he is susceptible - the safer he feels, the more activity exhibits the day. The territory of habitat, which will be quite a wild rabbit is limited to 0.5-20 hectares. Unlike other types of hares, they dig largely and deep holes (the greatest of them can reach 45 m long, 2-3 m of depths and have 4-8 outputs). And one more difference between the wild rabbit from the rest of the species is that they do not lead a single lifestyle, but live families that consist of 8-10 individuals. In the entire life of wild rabbits, there is a complex hierarchical structure.

In search of food, wild rabbits do not depart from their holes to the distance greater than 100 m, therefore their diet can not be called too diverse. In the summer, the leaves and roots of grassy plants prevail in it, and in the winter - the bark and branches of trees, the remains of the plants that they dig out from under the snow.

Wild rabbits multiply quite often, - 2-6 times, each time the bunny brings 2-12 rabbits. Pregnancy takes 28-33 days, i.e. In the year, the female brings 20-30 rabbits. At birth, the rabbit weigh only 40-50 g, not covered with fur and blind. They open their eyes only on 10 days of life, and on the 25th day they can already eat themselves, although the female does not cease to feed them with milk for the first four weeks. In puberty they reach 5-6 months. The maximum life expectancy of wild rabbits is 12-15 years old, although most of them do not live up to three years.

Many, seeing beautiful fluffy homemade rabbits, think that their wild relatives, lead an equally carefree lifestyle, pinching green grass in the meadows, but it is not so. For wild rabbits, every day is a struggle for survival in the harsh conditions of wildlife.

The lifestyle of wild rabbits is associated with the need to constantly search for food, regardless of the time of year, as well as the need to escape from predators hunting for rabbits.

The structure of the body of wild rabbits is due to the need to survive in the wild, because rabbits have unique adaptations for mining from under snow, a unique hearing, allowing them to hear the approaching predator at a distance of 30 meters regardless of whether the air is danger or sneaks Earth.

Surprisingly, only representatives of European wild rabbits were domesticated and are wild ancestors of all the modern breeds of home rabbits.

Natural enemies of rabbits are absolutely all predatory mammals and birds. The biological age of wild rabbits is 15 years old, but in fact, in nature, only 30% of rabbits live to three years of age. Not always mortality rabbits depends on the activity of predators, no rarely caused the death of whole families of rabbits is disease.

Rabbits in the wild in comparison with their domesticated relatives real kids. The body length varies from 35 to 42 cm, weight ranges from 1.3 to 2 kg, in very rare cases, wild rabbits reach weights of 2.5 kg. The body of the rabbit is squat, the paws are small, ears reach only 7cm, black eyes. The skin of the skins is gray, with darker areas, on the tips of the ears and tail. The wild rabbit drops twice a year, the spring molting passes from March to May, and the autumn molting falls on September-November.

Wild rabbits prefer terrain where there are shrub plants, but they can live in the steppes and even in dense forests and landings, but the rabbits are avoiding the forest. The lifestyle of wild rabbits is radically different from wild hares. Rabbits do not need an extensive area for life. The family can live on a relatively small territory, varying from 3 to 20 hectares. In order to ensure the comfort of the existence of rabbits of the holes, which can sometimes reach 30 meters in length.

Unlike Zaitsev, wild rabbits do not lead a separate lifestyle. Rabbits always live families of 8-10 individuals and have a clear hierarchical structure. Wild rabbits are relatively unpretentious in terms of feed, so they rarely go further than 100 meters from their hole. The main diet of rabbits make up herbaceous plants, roots, tubers, grains, bark. Such unpretentiousness allows the rabbit to quickly settle down, capturing all new and new territories.

The originally rabbits lived throughout the territory of Southern Europe, but later people dissolved them practically for all ecosystems, which led to the mass of the troubles, for example, in Australia, where wild European rabbits had no natural enemies. Without natural enemies in Australia, rabbits began to reproduce actively, gradually crowding out local types of rodents.

The European wild rabbit is distinguished by astounding fecundity. The female per year can bring up to six litters and, as a rule, in one litter from 2 to 12 rabbits. For the year, the female can produce from 20 to 60 rabbits, which quickly become independent after leaving the hole. The rabbits of wild rabbits grow extremely fast, as the first 4 weeks they feed only with milk.

After about 4-5 months, the rabbits reach half-arms, they leave the family, forming their families. Breeding wild rabbits Currently in Europe is carried out in nature reserves and nurseries. Some breeders want to buy wild rabbits to improve domesticated rocks.

Wild rabbits are extremely fruitful, leading a secretive lifestyle and try to hide from predators. Despite the high mortality rate of rabbits of all ages, these amazing animals are perfectly adapted to life in wildlife and support their population.

The rabbit is a mammal animal, which refers to the Townhouse, the Bay family. These animals are not only bred for meat and fur, but also contain at home as decorative pets.

Rabbits are often confused with rodents, and once even attributed to the general class of rodent. An important difference between rabbits from rodents is that rodents on the upper jaw are 2 cutters, and rabbits on the upper jaw have 4 cutters growing each other. Total rabbits 28 teeth. 16 teeth are located on the upper jaw: there are 4 cutters and 6 indigenous teeth on each side. 12 teeth are on the lower jaw: 2 cutters and 5 native teeth on each side. In newborns rabbit, 16 dairy teeth (6 cutters and 10 false native teeth). There are no fangs in animals, and there is space about 3 centimeters between the root teeth and the cutters.

The cutters serve to cut food, and the indigenous teeth - for chewing it. Rabbits cutters are not root and grow throughout the life of animals, increasing by an average of 2.5 mm per week. In connection with this fact, it is necessary to constantly consume coarse feed and erase the growing part of the teeth.

How many rabbits do?

In the wild, the life expectancy of rabbits usually does not exceed 3-4 years. In terms of competent home maintenance, rabbits live from 4-5 to 13-15 years. The oldest home rabbit died at the age of 19.

The life expectancy of rabbits may vary depending on:

  • breed accessories
  • genetic features
  • feeding
  • in males - from the frequency of mating,
  • the females - from the frequency of the ranks.

That is why if there are no offspring from rabbits, it is sometimes sterilized, which is sterilized, which increases the life expectancy of animals.

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

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

Dwarf rabbits have an average life expectancy of 5-7 years, however, with good and attentive care, some individuals live 12-13 years.

Do not have the necessary information and experience, rabbit is easy to confuse with, although these animals have a number of characteristic distinctive features:


Where do rabbits in nature dwell?

Most of the types of rabbits live in North America, the second place is occupied by the countries of South America. Also, the modern range of distribution of rabbits includes Africa, the Western and central part of Europe, the countries of Scandinavia and the Mediterranean, the islands of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic. However, thanks to the domestication of the Wild European Rabbit (Lat. Orayctolagus CUNICULUS), originally inhabited only in the south of Europe, today these eared animals have spread almost all continents.

Rabbits are animals that lead solely ground existence, most often choosing space with crossed terrain and sufficiently thick vegetation. They prefer to settle along the beams and ravines with ripples, comfortably feel in forest arrays, on meadows and glades, shrub or high grass. But mountain areas located above 500-600 meters above sea level, and very wetlands Most of the species are trying to avoid.

Often rabbits live in close proximity to man, in love with waste or landfills, as well as the outskirts of the settlements. An important factor in choosing a habitat is the feature of the soil: rabbits often dig holes, and sometimes whole systems of underground moves, so they try to choose areas with light soils, as in clay and stony soils to equip Nura rather complicated. Often, animals are already ready-made holes, dug and abandoned by other animals.

Most of the types of rabbits lead a settling existence, occupying a certain territory from 0.5 to 20 hectares, which the fragile secret is tested. An individual plot is occupied by a family group of 8-10 adult individuals, at the head of which are dominant male with female.

What do rabbits eat?

The basis of the diet of rabbits is green parts of plants, and the menu is formed by affordable feeds. In addition to herbs in food there are wild and cultural cereals, cabbage, salad, root, sometimes small insects. Winter diet includes bark and branches of trees, underground parts of plants that can be obtained from under the snow. In the absence of feeds, rabbits practiced coprophage - eating their own feces.

Types of rabbits, photos and names.

Modern classification of the Zaitsevy family highlights several clans of rabbits, most of which are American varieties. Below are a description and photos of some species:

  • , he is European rabbit ( OratoryColulagus CUNICULUS.)

the only appearance of the domesticated rabbit, which giving life a variety of modern breeds. This small animal grows up to 31-45 cm long with a body weight of 1.3-2.5 kg. Rabbit ears shorter skulls and have a length from 6 to 7.2 cm. Wild rabbit spin of brown-gray color, can be with a redhead. On the sides of the animal passes the faded strip of light fur, forming a wide spot on the hips. The belly is white or light gray, ears tips are cut black, the tip of the tail is black or gray, the bottom of the tail is white, the top is black and brown. In 3-5% of cases there are rabbits of black, light gray, white or motley colors. The main habitats of the rabbit are crossed shrub landscapes: ravines, careers, coastal cliffs - places with light, sandy soil, convenient for digging holes. Wild rabbits eat leaves and stalks of plants, in the fields and at the vegetables they produce cabbage, salad, and grain crops. With the onset of cold weather, the core and branches of trees and shrubs become the main source of food, in the absence of feed - their own excrement. The wild raw ringed over all continents, except Antarctica and Asia. In Russia, it can be found in the North Caucasus and in the Azov.

  • Water rabbit(Sylvilagus Aquaticus.)

great floats, due to which he got its name. The major animal grows up to 45-55 cm long and has a weight from 1.6 to 2.7 kg. The total color of the rabbit fur varies from red-brown to almost black, only the throat, belly and the bottom of the tail are white, and the eyes are circled with a dark ring. The basis of nutrition is various herbs and cereals, including reed. Water rabbit lives in the swamps and other humid terrain of the south of the USA: from Texas to South Carolina.

  • Red rabbit(PRONOLAGUS RANDENSIS)

type of an African rabbit that dwells exclusively in mountainous areas. Red rabbit has a fairly large body from 42 to 50 cm and big ears. The weight of the rabbit is about 2.3 kg. A distinctive feature of the species is a light silky wool red-brown with a gray color and a brick colors close-up with a black tip. These animals feed on insects and all sorts of vegetation: cereals, foliage, fruit. The most numerous population of animals lives in the Rocky Mountains of Africa: in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

  • Aydakh rabbit, he is rabbit Pigmere(Brachylagus idaoensis)

the smallest rabbit in the world, is distinguished by very short back legs, in connection with which it does not have the opportunity to move through jumps like the other borrowed. Representatives of the species grow in length from 22 to 28 cm with body weight from 250 to 450. The rabbit fur on the back is distinguished by yellow-brown, the stomach and paws are brighter. Aydakh rabbit is a typical representative of the fauna of the North-Western states of the United States (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming), where usually settles in thickets of three-way wormwood, which is its main power source.

  • Rabbit Nuttala(Sylvilagus Nuttallii.)

very similar to the American Belyak Hare, but it is characterized by smaller sizes and a characteristic brown spot on the back of the head. The length of the mammal body is 33-40 cm, the tail length is 2.5-5 cm. View representatives 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 her herbs like a linen, mint and swan, the bark and branches of plants are added in winter. The rabbit didn't dwells in the mountainous regions of Canada and the United States (from Arizona to Cascade Mountains).

  • California rabbit(Sylvilagus Bachmani.)

a large animal growing up to 50 cm long. The weight of the rabbit is about 4 kg. A distinctive feature is the ability of the rabbit successfully climbing the low trees and shrubs. The animal feeds various herbs, berries and leaves of overgrown vegetation (for example,) in which it prefers to dwell. The area of \u200b\u200bthe species passes through Central America along the coast of the Pacific Ocean from Colombia in the south to Sierra Nevada in the East.

  • Steppe rabbit(Sylvilagus Audubonii.)

externally resembles a European wild rabbit, but differs in much larger ears with a vertical put. Rabbits size ranges from 33 to 43 cm with weight about 1.5 kg, and the length of the ears reaches 10 cm. The color of the back is grayish-brown, the stomach is almost white. Steppe rabbits eat various cereals, herbs, as well as growing in their favorite habitat - desert pastures of the south-west of America. Also, the steppe rabbit can be found in a more humid area - Piniyevo-juniped forests. The area of \u200b\u200bthe species passes through the western territory of North America through Texas to Central Mexico.

  • Needless rabbit, he is Volcanic rabbitor Teporing(Romerolagus Diazi.)

one of the smallest rabbits, which lives only in the mountains of Central Mexico near Popochetetet and Istaxioatl volcanoes. Its length does not exceed 32 cm, and the weight of barely reaches 600 g. The animal is distinguished by compact, rounded ears and such a small tail, which is impossible to see it. Paid rabbits live in pinium forests, located high in the mountains, often up to 4.2 km above sea level. The main food of the rabbit is herbal vegetation. Biotopes of these animals cover forest arrays, steppes, meadows, pastures, deserts, as well as wet, swampy lands.

Reproduction of rabbits

Rabbits are considered one of the most fruitful mammals and can multiply all year round, during which one rabbit brings from 3 to 5 liters. The genital maturity of rabbits occurs at the age of 5-6 months, so rabbits that appeared at the beginning of the year, in the summer are already able to multiply. Rabbits are polygamous animals, although individual individuals are monogamans, and males live on a plot of a certain rabbit.

The pregnancy of rabbits lasts from 28 to 40 days, in the litter it can be from 2 to 12 young, although usually from 4 to 7. The largest documented fixed range is 24 rabbits.

American rabbits build nests on Earth, the holes females are equipping the nest underground, the bottom of the bottom, having combined from her belly.

Newborn rabbits usually have a weight of 40-50 grams and twisted on 10 day, and on 25 days are fully prepared for independent life, although a week feed the mother's milk.

Starting from 3-4 weeks of life, small rabbits begin to eat feed besides the maternal milk.

Despite the care of the offspring, many females are ready for mating a few hours after childbirth.

In 60% of cases of pregnancy, embryos are absorbed, but on average one rabbit increases the overall population by 20-30 rabbits per year.

Decorative Rabbits: Content and Care

The wild rabbit was tamed more than a thousand years ago, and since then, various breeds of decorative rabbits contain as domestic pets. All potential owners of rabbits need to be borne in mind that these rodent and digging animals can cause significant damage to property.

The rabbit will need a spacious cell exceeding the size of the animal 4 times. Homemade rabbits are very sensitive animals, so the cage is placed in a place where there are no drafts and direct sunlight.

The dwelling of the rabbit should be a place for the pallet, drinkers, feeders and desirable, for a decorative shelter house. The pallet falls asleep sawdust, straw or chips, which regularly change.

What to feed rabbits at home?

The basis of the diet of a home rabbit is a hay, which should always be a lot, feed and water. The granules of the feed are important for normal digestion, hay provides a thick feces, and water should be boiled and always fresh.

Additional feed for decorative rabbits can consist of various herbs: chamomile, mouse peas, alfalfa, star, yarrow, oak in small quantities.

Mineral additives use salt and vitinal stone, chalk. In summer, the young leaves of trees are added to the diet, in winter - sprigs of conifers.

Breed rabbits with photos and names

Today in rabbit breeds there are many breeds of rabbits, with the animals it is customary to divide on productivity into several groups depending on the mass of the body and the length of the hair. This classification allocates:

  • Meat breeds
  • Fur (meat-skin) breeds,
  • Pourer breeds
  • Decorative and dwarf rocks.

There is also a classification of breeds by country. Below are only some of the countries:

  • German breeds of rabbits (German Motley Giant, Rizen, German Baran, German Ober);
  • Soviet breeds of rabbits (Soviet chinchilla, Soviet Mardard, Russian Mornostaevoy, Gray Giant);
  • French breeds of rabbits (Alaska, French Papoon, Champagne, French Baran, Rex, Chinchilla, Burgundy, Silver, Hotton, Harlequin);
  • American rabbit breeds (California, New Zealand white, American Sable, Palomino, Silver Fox, American Fluffy Fold).

Rabbits of meat breeds, photos and description

Rabbits of meat breeds have a fairly developed muscles, quickly refill and differ in a big slaughter weight. For the sale of young people ready for the age of three to four months, and by half a rabbit gives a good skin. Below is a description of some meat breeds of rabbits with photos:

  • Burgundy rabbit

this is a breed derived in France. Animals have a slightly elongated torso with a short neck and a rather wide back, breasts and crumples. Burgundy breed rabbits grow very quickly and gain weight: at the age of four months, the scope of weight is 4-4.5 kg. Such strength of the breed is very valued by rabbits growing rabbit on meat.

this is the French Rabbit breed. An animal is distinguished by a strong, but harmonious constitution with developed muscles. Rabbits of Silver breed have a body length of 54-57 cm, as well as large and wide breasts and croup. The weight of an adult rabbit is from 4.5 to 6.7 kg. A distinctive feature of the breed is a silver-smoky shade of fur, which is evenly painted throughout the skin.

The origin of the breed breeders argue so far and did not come to a single opinion about the country in which Flanders appeared, although they are more inclined to Belgium. Rabbits of the breed Flander differ quite large dimensions: with a length of a slightly stretched body in 65-67 cm, the weight of the animal can reach 10-12 kg. The thick fur color varies from gray to gray-black, grayish-red, sandy, silver or white shades. Rabbit Flandon is very fruit and unpretentious in care, growing rapidly, therefore it is considered one of the best meat breeds.

  • Rabbits Rizen

this is a breed from Germany. Today, rabbits of the rizen breed are considered the largest among their eared fellow. With a length of a massive body in 70-75 cm, some copies reach weights at 12-14 kg. The painting of the skins can be the most different: dark gray, sandy, blue, black, brown-gray.

  • California rabbit

this is a meat breed of rabbits derived in the United States. Animals are characterized by a special color: a white torso, and the tail, nose, limbs and ears are black, chocolate and gray-blue. The massive chorean body perfectly corresponds to the criteria inherent in meat rocks. Rabbits of the California breed rapidly grow: five-month animals weigh 3-3.7 kg, and at the age of half a year they gain weight up to 6-7 kg.

Detachment - Town-shaped / Family - Zaitsevaya / Rod - Rabbits

Study history

Wild rabbit, or a European rabbit (Lat. OratoryColagus CUNICULUS) - a rabbit look from southern Europe. The only form of rabbits, which was domesticated and gave all the modern variety of breeds. During the history, rabbits were accidentally or deliberately imported into many isolated ecosystems, including Australia, in which they broke the balance, which often led to an environmental disaster. The European Rabbit was domesticated during the Romans, and rabbits are still grown on both meat and fur and as pets.

Appearance

Mine 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. The feet are pubescent, claws are long and straight. Coloring the top of the body is usually brown-gray, sometimes with a reddish tint. The tip of the tail is black or gray. On the back is noticeable dark-brown jetty formed by the ends of the isgery. At the ends of the ears, black rods are distinguished; On the neck behind the ears ocher spots. Along the bones of the body, there is a dull light strip, ending in the hip area with a wide spot. Belubo white or light gray. The tail is brown-black, the bottom is white. Quite often (3-5%) there are individuals of aberrant painting - black, light gray, white, panic. There is practically no seasonal shift. In the karyotype 44 chromosomes.

Line rabbits 2 times a year. Spring molting begins with March. Females linen quickly, about 1.5 months; The males summer fur appears slower and track tracks can be observed before summer. Autumn molting flows in September-November.

Spread

Initially, the rabbit Area was limited by the Iberian peninsula and isolated plots in the south of France and in North-West Africa. However, thanks to the economic activity of man, the rabbit spread over all continents, except Asia and Antarctica. It is assumed that the rabbit rabbits are in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Mediterranean, together with the Romans; Normans in the XII century. They brought them to England and Ireland. In the Middle Ages, the rabbit spread almost across Europe.

Currently, wild rabbits live in most regions of Western and Central Europe, in Scandinavia, in South Ukraine (including Crimea), in North Africa; Acclimated in South Africa. On the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (in particular on the Azores, Canary O-Wah, about. Madeira, Hawaiian O-WAH) rabbits produced specifically so that they make it and serve as a source of food for carriages of passing ships. The total number of islands where rabbits were introduced, reach 500; So, they live in the wild on a number of the islands of the Caspian Sea (residential, nargen, bullo, etc.), where they were brought in the XIX century. In the middle of the XVIII century. Rabbits were delivered to Chile, from where they had already moved to the territory of Argentina. Australia fell in 1859 and a few years later - to New Zealand. In the 1950s Rabbits from San Juan Islands (Washington) were released in the east of the United States.

Reproduction

Wild rabbits multiply quite often, - 2-6 times, each time the bunny brings 2-12 rabbits. Pregnancy takes 28-33 days, i.e. In the year, the female brings 20-30 rabbits. At birth, the rabbit weigh only 40-50 g, not covered with fur and blind. They open their eyes only on 10 days of life, and on the 25th day they can already eat themselves, although the female does not cease to feed them with milk for the first four weeks. In puberty they reach 5-6 months. The maximum life expectancy of wild rabbits is 12-15 years old, although most of them do not live up to three years.

Lifestyle

The habitat of wild rabbits is also significantly varied, they can live almost on all types of terrain (although they avoid dense forests), the rabbit is wildly not afraid of approaching settlements and can live even in mountain regions (but do not rise above 600 m above sea level).

The daily activity of the wild rabbit depends on the degree of danger, which he is susceptible - the safer he feels, the more activity exhibits the day. The territory of habitat, which will be quite a wild rabbit is limited to 0.5-20 hectares. Unlike other types of hares, they dig largely and deep holes (the greatest of them can reach 45 m long, 2-3 m of depths and have 4-8 outputs). And one more difference between the wild rabbit from the rest of the species is that they do not lead a single lifestyle, but live families that consist of 8-10 individuals. In the entire life of wild rabbits, there is a complex hierarchical structure.

Food

When feeding, rabbits are not deleted by more than 100 m from Nor. In this regard, their diet does not differ by selectivity, and the composition of the feed is determined by their availability. In winter and summer, food differs. In the summer, green pieces of herbaceous plants eaten; In the fields and at the vegetables, they feed on a salad, cabbage, various root crops and grain crops. In the winter, in addition to dry grass, underground parts of plants often dig. The shoots and bark of trees and shrubs play a prominent role in winter nutrition. In the situation of food deficit, their own feces eat (coprophagia).

Number

There is no threat to a decrease in the population of wild rabbits, on the contrary, in many countries, they are considered pests and exterminated.

Wild rabbit and man

With mass reproduction, they bring harm to forest and agriculture.

Are the object of fishery for fur and meat. The rabbit was domesticated over 1000 years ago. The livestock industry is engaged in the breeding of rabbits for industrial purposes - rabbit breeding. It is believed that rabbits were first organized in the French monasteries in 600-1000. n. e. Currently, rabbit breeding is an important branch of the world economy; About 66 breeds, mainly meat and fur directions are derived. There are down and decorative rocks, for example, an Angora rabbit, whose fluff is about 90% of all wool. Domesticated rabbits differ from wild color, furs and weight - they are capable of gaining up to 7 kg. Rabbits are widely used as laboratory animals, on which new drugs are testing, food; Used for experiments in genetics. Rabbits can also be kept as pets.

In some areas, rabbits in the absence of natural predators bring great harm, released vegetation, damaging sowing and spoils by their nora. So, on some of the Pacific Ocean, rabbits ate vegetation, which caused the erosion of the soil and the destruction of the coastal zone, where sea birds nested.

However, the greatest damage caused the spread of rabbits in Australia, where they were brought in 1859 (Victoria). 24 rabbits brought were broken, and by 1900 their number in Australia was already estimated at 20 million heads. Rabbits eat grass, making up food competition to sheep and cattle. Even greater damage, they apply an aboriginal fauna and Flora Australia, entering relic vegetation and crowding out local species that do not stand competition with rapid rabbits. As measures to combat rabbits, shooting, poisoned bait; In addition, European predators were delivered to Australia - Fox, Choreke, Ermine, Lask. In some places in Australia, mesh fences are installed in order to prevent the settling with rabbits of new areas. The most successful way to combat these pests was the "bacteriological war" of the 1950s, when rabbits tried to infect acute viral disease - mixture, endemic for South America. The initial effect was very large, in many areas of Australia, up to 90% of all rabbits. The surviving individuals developed immunity. The problem of rabbits is still acute in Australia and New Zealand.