CC BY-SA 3.0 · JJ Harrison · source
Quick Facts
- Type
- Mammal
- Size
- 34–50 cm body length
- Weight
- 1.5–2.5 kg
- Habitat
- Grassland, meadow, forest edge, and gardens worldwide
- Diet
- Herbivore — grass, leaves, vegetables
- Active Time
- Crepuscular — most active at dawn and dusk
- Lifespan
- 8–12 years (domestic); 1–2 years (wild)
Field Notes
- A rabbit can leap up to 3 metres in a single bound and run at up to 56 km/h.
- Rabbits are crepuscular — most active at dawn and dusk to avoid peak predator hours.
- They communicate contentment by 'binkying' — leaping and twisting mid-air.
About the European Rabbit
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) originated in the Iberian Peninsula and was spread across Europe, Australia, and beyond by humans, where it became a major pest. Domesticated rabbits derive from wild European rabbits selectively bred since the Middle Ages, initially in French monasteries. They are crepuscular herbivores with powerful hindlegs built for escape bursts exceeding 56 km/h. Rabbits practice cecotrophy — re-ingesting specialised droppings directly from their anus to extract maximum nutrition from plant cellulose.
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