European Rabbit
By: Elizabeth Bond
Classification Order:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Oryctolagus
Species: Oryctolagus Cuniculus
They are very closely related to hares and pikas.
How they live:
The habitat of the European Rabbit mainly consists of brushy fields because of the cover and protection but they also like forests. Since most of their natural homes are now occupied by humans they have learned to coexist with us, making their homes in parks, cemeteries, gardens, and lawns. They naturally live in a small area of France, and northwest Africa however humans have taken action so that the rabbits wildly live on every continent except Asia and Antarctica. They are herbivores, eating different grasses, leaves, buds, tree bark, and roots. They live in groups of about six to ten adults of both sexes. In the colonies their is a dominance hierarchy among the males and their choice in mate heavily depends upon how dominant they are in the hierarchies. Their top speed is 2.4 miles per hour and they can jump from twelve inches to eighteen inches. Their weight varies from 3.30 to 5.51 pounds and they range from being 14.96 to 19.69 inches.
Fun Facts!
Rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility or rebirth and generally are associates with spring and Easter.
Many people believe that having a rabbit's foot will bring you good luck.
Their predators are foxes, snakes, and large birds. If they are spotted they flee and run in zigzag line.
Citations:
a-z animals. N.p., 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. <http://a-z-animals.com/
animals/rabbit/>.
animals/rabbit/>.
Shefferly, Nancy, ed. Animal diversity web. N.p., 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
<http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Oryctolagus_cuniculus/>