Wild rabbits settle mainly in areas with shrub vegetation and rugged terrain - along beams, ravines, steep shores of seas and estuaries, abandoned quarries. Less common in forest belts, gardens, parks and very rarely in arable fields, where modern methods tillage destroys its burrows.

They do not avoid the neighborhood of a person, settling on the outskirts settlements, in landfills and wastelands. The mountains do not rise above 600 m above sea level. Importance for rabbits, it has the nature of the soil suitable for digging; they prefer to settle on light sandy or sandy loamy soils and avoid dense clay or rocky areas.

On daily activity the rabbit is strongly affected by the level of anxiety. Where rabbits are not disturbed, they are active mostly during the day; when pursued and in anthropogenic biotopes, they switch to a nocturnal lifestyle. At night they are active from 11 p.m. to sunrise, in winter - from midnight to dawn.

Wild rabbits are sedentary, occupying areas of 0.5-20 hectares. The territory is marked with the odorous secretion of the skin glands (inguinal, anal, chin). Unlike hares, rabbits dig deep complex burrows in which they spend a significant part of their lives. Some burrows have been used by rabbits for many generations, turning into real labyrinths, covering an area of up to 1 ha. For digging, rabbits choose elevated areas. Sometimes he makes holes in the cracks of rocks, in old quarries, under the foundations of buildings. Burrows are of two types:

simple, with 1-3 exits and a nesting chamber at a depth of 30-60 cm; they are probably occupied by young and single individuals;
complex, with 4-8 exits, up to 45 m long and up to 2-3 m deep.

The entrance to the burrow is wide, up to 22 cm in diameter; at a distance of 85 cm from the entrance, the passage narrows to 15 cm in diameter. Living quarters have a height of 30-60 cm. The entrances to the main tunnels are identified by heaps of earth, small passages at the exit do not have earthen heaps. Rabbits usually do not go far from burrows and feed on adjacent areas, hiding in the burrow at the slightest danger. Rabbits leave inhabited burrows only when they are destroyed or the vegetation around the burrow is severely degraded. Rabbits do not run very fast, not reaching speeds above 20-25 km / h, but very nimble, so it is difficult to catch an adult rabbit.

Rabbits live in family groups of 8-10 adults. The 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 has the advantage during the breeding season. Most rabbits are polygamous, but some males are monogamous and stay on the territory of one particular female. Males jointly defend the colony from strangers. Mutual assistance exists between the members of the colony; they alert each other of danger by tapping the ground with their hind legs.

Inhabitants of the underground

Why does a rabbit breeder need knowledge about wild rabbits?

In this article I will tell you what kind of animal it is - a wild rabbit. I will make a reservation right away. Despite the fact that I put it in the "it's interesting" section, you may find a lot of valuable and useful for your lesson. Judge for yourself how you can effectively breed and grow your eared pets without delving into their essence. After all, all instincts biological rhythms, habits and features of domestic rabbits come from their wild counterparts. I hope this article helps you understand your furry friends more.

Those of you who breed rabbits in pits or aviaries will find many similarities and similarities in the behavior of their own and wild European rabbits. At present, there is a fairly rich experience accumulated not only over the years, but over millennia. And with the advent modern technologies Watching wild rabbits just got a whole lot easier. Infrared light (the invisible part of the spectrum) makes it possible to monitor animals around the clock, and microscopic video cameras allow you to penetrate into all the nooks and crannies of rabbit holes, to observe their underground life.

Quick search:

Who are wild rabbits?

Here is the time to make a clarification. From the above diagram it can be seen that of the entire genus of rabbits, only one species budded - European rabbit or European wild rabbit. In fact, there are more than 20 of these species. Most of them live in North America, slightly less in Africa and South America. And only one species of rabbit is native to Europe - the so-called common rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). And it was he who was domesticated at one time and gave rise to all currently existing domestic breeds of rabbits. Therefore, in the future we will only talk about him, only he can interest us in something. Other types of rabbits are very different from our pets in many characteristics and habits (some are covered with bristles, others do not dig holes and live in swamps and swim like beavers, others live on the slopes of volcanoes right up to the vent, etc.) and do not may be the subject of our study.

The already domesticated rabbit in the form of bred breeds was then transported to all continents. In this regard, I ask you not to confuse, for example, a wild American rabbit - an aborigine with a Californian breed bred from a European immigrant. As they say in Odessa, these are two big differences. And although our European rabbits can be crossed with any breed of wild rabbits, unlike the hare, these are two different biological species of rabbits.

Habitat of the European wild rabbit.

Paleontologists say that rabbits migrated to Europe from Africa before the Ice Age. Then, thanks to the warm climate, they multiplied throughout the continent. The subsequent global cooling drove them to the southern part of the Pyrenees, the territory of present-day Spain, where they were safely preserved. By the way, in the ancient Phoenician language, “spany” means a rabbit, and “Hispania” means a coast of rabbits. Currently, wild rabbits also live where people have artificially resettled them. This is primarily Australia and New Zealand (since the end of the 18th century). There, without meeting natural enemies and once in the grassy paradise, the animals began to multiply so quickly that they threatened everything Agriculture continent. Their number now exceeds 6 billion heads.

GROW RICH on the cultivation of rabbits is possible only by providing them with favorable conditions for their existence. In this case, animals multiply exponentially. The increase in their numbers is explosive. When choosing a breed, be guided by nearby farms and breeds adapted to local conditions.

Metal mesh across the entire continent.

Foxes and other predators brought from Europe in a hurry did not start for rabbits, but for local inhabitants, who turned out to be both larger and slower. European predators quickly fell in love with kangaroo meat and the meat of local sheep. But the rabbits were rapidly advancing at a speed of 100 kilometers per season and, like locusts, they destroyed all the greenery, including crops and vegetable gardens. The unfortunate Australians were already desperate and did not know what to do. And then it came to someone's mind great idea to block the entire territory of the mainland with a steel mesh. Its length is several thousand kilometers. It worked, and it did a great job of slowing down the migration of animals. But the threat, as they say, continues to hang in the air. In this regard, in some Australian states, it is illegal to breed rabbits at the legislative level. For violation of a considerable fine - 40,000 USD.

In Europe itself, from the Pyrenees, rabbits at the beginning of the first millennium were spread by the Romans to subject empires territory. Rabbits attracted people with their precocity and fertility. Taste qualities meat also played not last role. Despite mass domestication, they continue to live and live in parallel wild rabbits. They also posed a threat in some years, but already for European crops. Settled throughout the western and central parts of the continent. They no longer tried to fight them by trapping and hunting. In the middle of the last century, the French declared bacteriological warfare on wild rabbits. Several individuals specially infected with myxomatosis were released into the wild. And if, for example, African red rabbits suffer from this disease in a mild form, then european rabbits mostly (up to 85%) die. The disease was transmitted from one individual to another, but gradually faded. And only in places humid climate, where there are mosquitoes, almost all rabbits have become extinct. In addition to mosquitoes, rabbit fleas can also carry myxomatosis.

MYXOMATOSIS- Very dangerous disease often spread in the form of epidemics. Domestic rabbits are not immune to it. Mandatory vaccination required. Fight mosquitoes, do not breed excess dampness in your household.

I must say that these experiments with myxomatosis hit our rabbit farms very painfully. I have already mentioned, and experienced rabbit breeders will not let me bear false witness, that somewhere before the beginning of the 60s we did not have this infection. Maybe I'm not quite out of place, but I remember very well the first appearance of two misfortunes almost simultaneously - this is a massive death of rabbits and an invasion of Colorado beetles. Be that as it may, we survived these difficulties, learned to resist them, although without them it would be much better.

More than once, starting from the end of the 19th century and until the 80s of the last century, attempts were made to resettle wild rabbits in the territories Russian Empire and then Soviet Union. Mostly selected areas with warm climate, Ukraine, Moldova, Uzbekistan, as well as Lithuania. They did not take root everywhere, mainly where the climate resembles the Mediterranean. At present, a large colony is settled in the Crimean Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov (Crimea Peninsula), Rostov region, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories as well as in the North Caucasus and the Caspian Islands.

Now a wild European rabbit can be found on all continents except Antarctica (after all, a rabbit is not a penguin, give it grass, and drilling holes in ice is not very comfortable). This is the northwest of Africa (Morocco, Algeria) and South America(Chile), and North America ( East Coast USA, southern Canada) and the already mentioned Australia and Oceania. In addition, rabbits live well and breed on more than 500 islands. mediterranean sea, Quiet and Atlantic Oceans. They were landed there in order to create colonies that help feed seafarers, including those in distress.

RABBIT MEAT very tasty and nutritious. It is perfectly digested, is considered to be dietary, recommended for many diseases.

External characteristics of a wild rabbit.

After reviewing the description of the wild rabbit, you will find the obvious thing. Under it, our ordinary outbred rabbit is perfect. Judge for yourself: a small animal that looks like a hare. Body length from 30 to 45 centimeters. Weight depending on size and fatness, but on average 2.5 kg. The color is uneven. Above, from dusty gray to dark brown, and even with reddishness, which prevails on the neck and behind the ears. The belly, as well as the underside of the tail, is usually much lighter, sometimes closer to white. On the sides, a light stripe is faintly distinguishable, which passes into a rounded spot in the upper part of the thigh. The tip of the tail and ears is slightly darker, brown or dark gray. During the year, a change in color, like a hare, is not observed. Two molts, as expected, spring and autumn. Single individuals due to mutations (changes in genes) may have a color different from the typical one. So among the brown ones, albinos with a white skin, black, light gray and even piebald (spotted) will also flash. But there are always not many such rabbits, their total number does not exceed 3-5%.

DOMESTIC RABBITS with thoughtless crossing and lack of selection, they gradually degenerate, become smaller, become similar to their wild ancestors. If you notice a decrease in the size of the offspring, a redhead in the color of your rabbits (the gray giant does not count), it's time to think, to conduct at least an introductory crossing.

Dwellings of the wild rabbit.

You probably already know that wild rabbits build their homes and nests, unlike hares, in burrows. For their habitat, they choose mainly open areas, with complex terrain (ravines, beams, a steep coast, an abandoned quarry). They can settle in a landfill. The density of the soil is of great importance. It is easier and more convenient for them to dig holes in sandy soil. Almost never found in rabbit colonies where the ground is rocky or clayey. From the point of view of subsistence, they also strive for places where succulent herbs grow. Interestingly, wild rabbits are not afraid to settle near people, in parks and forest belts. Life forced rabbits to hide away from their offenders - predators (which are innumerable) deeper into the ground and spend most of their lives there. Babies are also born exclusively underground. We can say that rabbits (mainly females) dig their holes throughout their lives. The simplest dwelling is a nesting area with three independent exits to the surface. However, having settled down, the animals continue to improve their home and dig, dig, dig ... The length of the rabbit holes is about 20 meters, but sometimes it is twice as long. They go to a depth of 2 or more meters. As a result, a whole network of labyrinths and nesting chambers connected by passages is formed underground. This contributes to animal safety. In addition, there is always an emergency main entrance, which is a funnel or dip no larger than 40-50 cm in size, which almost immediately narrows to a diameter of 15 cm. Once having populated the territory, the colony does not leave it for a long time. The reason may be either natural disasters or disappearance of vegetation. Often, researchers discover a piece of land pitted with holes up to 1 hectare.

DOMESTIC RABBITS - shy animals. They do not like strong noise, pungent odors. It's best not to bother them. I recommend equipping the cages with additional screens (even temporary ones) behind which the rabbit could hide. This will have a positive effect on his well-being and development.

Animal nutrition.

Rabbits can come to the surface both during the day and at night. If predators rage in their habitat, they feed mainly at night, if the danger has passed, they can frolic in the sun, and even move a hundred meters away from the hole in search of more juicy greenery. They do not make any stocks for the winter, they feed on dried wood, underground parts of vegetation, and fallen grains. Do not disdain and branch food. In summer they eat leaves, in winter the bark of trees and shrubs. By the way, the rabbits that came to the Australian continent fell in love with the local branch food so much. that they learned to climb trees, or rather low-growing branches.

DOMESTIC RABBIT leads a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. It feeds mainly at night. Feeders should not be allowed to be empty at night. Coprophagia is also characteristic of this time of day. The main foods for a rabbit are grass, hay, twigs, grains and root crops. When compiling a diet, consider the caloric value of feed. (Modern feeds in the form of granules contain all the necessary components.)

Rabbit habits.

Round-the-clock monitoring helped scientists to completely follow the habits and life vicissitudes of wild rabbits. For this, night vision devices were used. It turned out that the animals live in families according to strict rules. In each family, there are from 8 to 10 heads of adults, both males and females. But the main (dominant) male is the only one, he chooses a female and the best nest for living. It proves its superiority with the help of strength in martial arts with other males. After that, it consolidates its dominant status, marks everything in a row: territory, defeated males, its females. Marks with a special odorous secret. Can afford to visit other neighboring nests and have fun with neighbors. On grazing, of course, all the best areas with his grass and his beloved passion.

IF YOU NOTICE that the rabbit jumps around the cage and splashes liquid on the sides, this is normal. It means he is healthy and active. Limit the load on the male when mating. There should be no more than 2 coatings per day.

When the leader dies, continuous fights begin, which can last for several days, until a new leader is finally established. If any rabbit feels danger, he notifies all the others by knocking on the ground with his strong hind legs. When a threat arises, males defend their territory from enemies together. In order not to attract predators once again, rabbits lead a silent lifestyle. Only during danger or a fight do they emit a piercing cry resembling a squeak. Those who have watched domestic rabbit fights know what I'm talking about.

DO NOT HOLD two adult males in one cage. You can not constantly keep a male and a female in the same cage. It is not advisable to keep two females in one cage. Young growth must be seated before the onset of their puberty, preferably up to 3 months of age. The rabbit has rather strong hind legs. Beware of shock when picking up a rabbit.

Reproduction.

Nature arranged it so that rabbits could survive in a dense environment of enemies. We have already said that rabbits are saved by deep, long holes, nocturnal lifestyle, camouflage color, silent existence, exceptional agility. But their fertility and precocity are of great importance. For a year, a rabbit can bring offspring from 2 to 5 times. It depends on the climate and latitude. More often (almost all year round) okroly occur in regions with a warm climate and an abundance of food. For example, in the summer in Australia, when all the grass burns out, the rounds do not occur. In southern Europe, breeding lasts from March to October, and in Scandinavia, mainly only in the summer months.

FOR QUICK BREEDING rabbits need an optimal temperature regime, reminiscent of the Mediterranean climate. In cold winters, insulate cages and queen cells, use electric heating. In the heat, create an artificial shade, ensure an uninterrupted supply of water (drinking bowls), arrange ventilation.

The gestation period (about 30 days) and the number of baby rabbits born (from 2 to 12) are the same as in domestic rabbits. IN mating games enter within a few hours after birth. Before birth, the female carefully prepares the nest (up to 30 cm in diameter), lines it with plucked fluff. Cubs are born naked and blind, but grow quickly. Around the 10th day, the eyes begin to open.

By the age of one month, they can graze on their own, crawling upstairs. Around the same time, the female abandons them and starts building a new nest. Such a rush on the one hand plays positive role on the other hand, young individuals often die. Mortality of young animals can reach from 40 - 50%. Sometimes only 10% of individuals live up to a year. The reason here is not only in predators, but also in viral misfortunes such as coccidiosis. Losses are also great from flooding of holes in rainy seasons. It does not always save that the entrances to the burrows are located on hills in dry places.

COCCIDIASIS- a dangerous disease of rabbits, causing their death. It is carried by flies, multiplies in droppings and sewage. Fight flies, regularly clean cages near them.

Here are more examples of how nature uses its resources economically. During dry periods, a pregnant rabbit may not give birth at all. She "feels" that the offspring will not survive anyway and stops nourishing the embryos in the womb. There they die and, as experts say, the pregnancy resolves. At the same time, all the nutrients are absorbed by the mother and she herself avoids starvation. Pregnancy can thus disappear even after 20 days of gestation. In the heat, mostly younger and stronger rabbits give birth. Unlike domestic rabbits, their wild counterparts almost never enter into mating games in the first year of life. Save strength, although sexual maturity occurs by 5-6 months.

NOT ALWAYS failed births may be the result of listeriosis - a disease of the female. If possible, do not plan births during a very hot period. Consistently apply succulent feed and an uninterrupted supply of water.

What and who prevents a wild rabbit from living to old age?

The average life expectancy of rabbits in the wild does not exceed 3 years, although some rare specimens live up to 8 or even 10 years. The reason for this is not always favorable natural conditions, diseases, civil strife, an abundance of natural enemies. Predators who are not averse to profiting from rabbit meat are known to everyone. These are those running on the ground (foxes, martens, ferrets, weasels, rats, stray dogs and cats) and flying (hawks, owls, owls and even crows with magpies).

ESPECIALLY DEFECTIVE little rabbits. They can be dragged or bitten by rats. Ferrets and weasels are dangerous even for adults. Install fine-mesh nets, make cages and queen cells from hardwood. Fight rats and other predators.

In addition, hunting for a wild rabbit is very popular in Western Europe, including with the use of ferrets:

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The wild or European rabbit is the ancestor of all currently existing breeds. This species has been domesticated by humans since ancient rome. Since then, rodents have been used to obtain dietary meat and fur.

Appearance

A wild rabbit is a small animal with a body length of up to 45 cm and a weight of up to 2.5 kg. Feature animal - the length of its auricles is always less than the size of the head, up to 7 cm, unlike hares, whose ears are longer. The feet of the limbs of the rabbit are covered with short hair. The paws have long and straight claws.

The coat color of wild rabbits is predominantly gray-brown; in some individuals, a reddish shade of guard hairs predominates. The hairline on the central part of the back is slightly darkened, the tail at the end is also dark, almost black or painted gray, and it is white below. The fur on the sides of the body is always slightly lighter than on the back, and in the abdomen it is white or light gray. On the back of the head, behind the auricles of the animal, there are buffy spots.

Attention! The fur of a wild rabbit does not change color during seasonal molt that runs in autumn and spring.

Spreading

The wild rabbit originally lived in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in parts of France and northwest Africa. It is believed that in this area, characterized by a warm climate, animals were able to survive after ice age. From here, thanks to the Romans, European rabbits came to the Mediterranean. To the territory modern England and animals were brought to Ireland by Scandinavians in the 12th century AD. During the Middle Ages, rabbits had already spread throughout Europe.

In the 18-19 centuries, wild rabbits were specially transported to different islands- Hawaiian, Canary, Azores, and released there for acclimatization and breeding. Animal colonies were supposed to serve as food for sailors. Toward the middle of the 18th century, eared rodents were brought to the territory of Chile, from where the animals independently moved to Argentina. Somewhat later, in the middle of the 20th century, European rabbits were brought to Australia, the USA and New Zealand.

On this moment wild rabbits live wherever there are no harsh winters. These animals do not exist except in Antarctica and Asia.

Reference. Wild rabbits choose habitats where in winter the number of days with stable snow cover does not exceed 37.

Lifestyle

European rabbit leads sedentary life, unlike a hare. Animals inhabit territories with rugged terrain and rich vegetation, since the latter serves as food for them. Animals can be found on the coasts of estuaries, in ravines, gullies. In dense forests, animals are not found, as well as in mountainous areas.

Wild rabbits often coexist with humans, populating the outskirts of settlements, landfills and wastelands. Since rodents have a need to dig holes, the composition of the soil matters to them. Loose soil is preferable for these animals than clay or rocky soil. Having taken a fancy to the territory, the animals mark it with their secret - they rub their faces against objects, scatter excrement and spray urine. These animals prefer to live in small groups in which:

the leading role is given to the male producer;
a dominant female with cubs lives with him;
the group includes 1-2 more females with or without offspring, living in separate burrows.

Young males living in the same colony with the dominant one readily protect females and offspring. Rabbits have their own methods of communication, they warn each other of danger, come to each other's aid.

Attention! Wild rabbits are polygamous creatures, but some individuals create a family with one female and stay with her forever.

Of interest are the burrows of wild rabbits. They are different:

Family. Only adult animals live in them. Such dwellings are equipped with several entrances and exits.
Brooding. This type of burrow is intended for rabbits. The hatched females independently dig them not far from the family burrow. Brood holes have only 1 entrance, which also serves as an exit. The rabbits come there to feed the cubs. When leaving the nest, the female masks the entrance in order to wild animals no offspring found.

Burrows of family type are simple and complex. The former are intended for single females, and the latter for the dominant male with his family. Simple family burrows have up to 3 entrances and exits, while complex ones have up to 8.

Nutrition

European rabbits eat plant foods. Fearing the attack of wild animals, they go out in search of food mainly at night. Animals do not move more than 100 meters from their homes. Hearing a noise or noticing danger, the animals immediately go to their holes.

The animals are fed by:

wild herbs;
garden crops;
shrub shoots;
roots;
cereals;
tree bark (when vegetation is sparse).

Important! In winter, plant food is not available, so the rabbits look for dry grass under the snow cover and dig up the roots of plants. When animals are hungry, they eat their own feces.

reproduction

In warm regions, wild rabbits breed throughout the year. For example, in countries below the equator, animals do not breed only when the vegetation burns out. Animals living in the central part of Europe actively breed from March to October. Animals that have settled in the northern territories of the European continent stop breeding in July-August. On average, the female brings from 4 to 8 births per year, depending on climatic conditions in which he lives.

The duration of pregnancy in a wild rabbit is 30 days, sometimes childbirth occurs a little earlier or later. There can be 4-10 cubs in one brood. The fertility of females depends on the following factors:

health conditions;
diet;
age (after 3 years, the fertility rate decreases).

Newborn rabbits are completely defenseless - there is no hair on their body, their eyes are closed. The rabbit builds a nest before the birth, putting fluff from her belly into it. She feeds babies with milk until the age of one month, although already 2 weeks after birth they leave the nest and try adult food.

Reference. The eyes of rabbits open on the 10-11th day of life.

The wild rabbit is the only representative of the rabbit kingdom that has been domesticated. He is the progenitor of all existing breeds, including decorative ones. This animal can be found almost anywhere the globe except for Antarctica and Asia. Acquaintance with this representative of the fauna helps to better understand what qualities and features are inherent in domestic rabbits, what they need, how they behave in different conditions.

Their body length is only 35-45 cm, tail 4-7 cm, ears 6-7 cm, and the average weight is 1.3-2.2 kilograms. The color of the upper body is formed by mixing fur hair dyed light brown and black. The hair on the back is gray-brown in a soft 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 quite long. 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 a settlement, European rabbits prefer places overgrown with shrubs with rugged terrain. These are beams, ravines, abandoned quarries, steep banks of estuaries and seas. They are less common in gardens, forest belts, parks. Important for wild rabbits is the nature of the soil suitable for digging. Animals prefer to settle on light sandy soils and avoid clay, dense or rocky areas.

Wild rabbits are sedentary. They occupy territories with an area of 0.5-20 hectares, which are marked with an odorous secretion from the skin glands. Mutual assistance exists between members of the colonies; knocking on the ground with their hind legs, they notify neighbors of 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.

Animals usually do not go far from burrows and feed on adjacent areas, hiding in burrows at the slightest danger. Wild rabbits leave inhabited 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 quite difficult to catch an adult rabbit.

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

Rabbits breed very quickly. At the age of less than a year, young individuals become sexually mature. Rabbits bring 3-4 litters per year, 3-7 rabbits in each. Rabbits are somewhat more prolific in the southern Western European countries(3-5 litters of 5-6 rabbits), and in Australia and New Zealand they breed even faster. Before giving birth, rabbits make a nest inside the holes. For bedding, combed out fur on their 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 babies begin to lead an independent life, although the mother continues to feed them with milk until almost a month old.

Despite the speed of reproduction, in the wild there is a very high mortality 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 flooding holes in rainy times. The maximum life expectancy 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.

KEY FACTS
Name: Wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Distribution: Throughout the European mainland and the British Isles; the species has also been introduced to other parts of the world, for example, to Australia
Number of social group: 30-60 in a hole; 2-8 in a family group
Pregnancy period: 30 days
Independence: 24-26 days
Territory: 0.25-15 ha, depending on group size and food availability

A young wild rabbit emerges from a burrow.

The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is perhaps the most famous animal found in Europe.

Most of us have seen rabbits on TV or in movies, read about them in books. Many keep domesticated rabbits, which are not much different from their wild relatives. What is the social life of wild animals and what happens when they disappear into their underground burrows?

favorite home

Rabbits lead social image life. They live in colonies in elaborate underground labyrinths known as rabbit pens or burrows. A large burrow provides shelter for dozens of rabbits, and it can be built and expanded by many generations over hundreds of years. Digging tunnels is predominantly the responsibility of rabbits, while males are more busy defending their territories from invaders.

For their minks, rabbits choose sloping slopes to avoid flooding - main danger for underground animals. They dig tunnels in dense soils. This is an additional defense against predators such as badgers, who often dig up rabbit burrows. Each rabbit pens has one or more main entrances (15-20 cm in diameter) paved with handfuls of earth. Additional exits are dug from the inside and carefully covered with vegetation. When the rabbits move within the cage, these inconspicuous exits keep them out of sight of predators. The area of the cage usually occupies 100 m2, in this territory there can be up to 50 hidden exits.

Rabbit burrows are connected by many tunnels, which usually do not exceed 15 cm in width, but in some places they increase significantly in size. Rabbits can roam freely throughout their enclosure, but large enemies such as foxes will not be able to enter here. The maze-like layout also helps to confuse and small predators, which can climb into a hole, such as stoats and weasels.

Family

Each cage has a large colony of rabbits, but it is subdivided into smaller ones. social groups, or families. Usually two to six rabbits unite, one or two males join them. Rabbits are often relatives, as they tend to stay in their own family. And young males are not so attached to their relatives: often they join another family or even another cage.

The area around the mink can vary from 0.25 to 15 ha. Rabbits unanimously protect their possessions. Dominant males mark their boundaries with musky secretions from their chin glands. In the same way, parents mark their cubs so that they are not confused with members of a foreign group in the colony. The latrine of the rabbits is outside the cage, and the mink is kept in order. The feces are also used to mark rabbit territory.

During mating season rabbits are very territorial and drive out strangers from other cages, especially males. However, at the end of the mating season, the defenders of the borders relax. At this time, young males seek to find their place in a new family group or colony. Old males, who can no longer be dominant in the colony, or young individuals who have not yet found a permanent home, lead a solitary lifestyle outside the cage. They are called companion males.

Rabbits are most active in the morning and evening. During the day, they hide in burrows or bask in the sun near the entrance.

Baby rabbits at the entrance to their burrow in the fields of Scotland. These cubs have "ears on top" and a wary look - they are always ready to dive underground and run away from danger.

The eyes of rabbits are located on the sides of the head, which allows them to see everything around without turning around, and large mobile ears and sensitive hearing help to detect danger. Noticing the threat, the rabbit knocks on the ground with its hind legs, warning its relatives on the surface and those who are in underground burrows. When a rabbit flees from danger, the bright white tip of its tail serves as a signal to others.

During the mating season, before mating, the male takes care of the female: he describes circles around her, waves his tail and sprinkles urine on her. If the rabbit is interested, she stops and approaches the male, patting her tail as a sign of favor.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy, or the gestation period, lasts 30 days in rabbits. After half the term, the females begin to look for a place to nest. This may be a dead end tunnel in a common burrow or a small tunnel located separately from the main cage. Dominant rabbits get access to the best and safest places. Females actively fight for them, in a fight they often injure each other, and sometimes even kill. When a burrow is overcrowded and there is not enough nesting space, some female rabbits leave and establish their own burrows.

A few days before giving birth, female rabbits line the nests for newborns with dry grass and fur from their tummies. Rabbits are born blind and helpless, but mothers do not give them due attention. The rabbits leave the kids themselves and close the entrance to the mink with earth. They visit the nest every night just to feed the babies. It happens that females do not come to the babies and do not feed them for 2 days. Nevertheless, the children survive, and the rare visits of the mother actually help to protect the babies: each visit of the female endangers the rabbits, because at that moment they can be detected by predators watching the rabbit.

Hearing in rabbits develops already on the seventh day after birth, and vision - on the tenth. At the age of 12 days they become very nimble, and after another 6 days they leave the nest for the first time. The rabbits should quickly become independent, because the mother leaves the nest when they are only 25 days old. At this age, they begin to take care of themselves. The period of gaining independence is very risky for rabbits. Typically, out of ten babies, only one survives to adulthood. At 5-8 months, the surviving individuals are ready to have their own babies.