What do wild rabbits eat in winter. Wild Rabbit: Rabbits in the wild. Habitat of the European wild rabbit

Wild rabbit, or European rabbit (lat. Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. The only species of rabbit that was domesticated and gave all the modern variety of breeds. Over the course of history, rabbits have been accidentally or deliberately introduced into many isolated ecosystems, including Australia, where they have upset the balance, often resulting in ecological disaster. The European rabbit was domesticated in Roman times, and rabbits are still raised today for both meat and fur and as pets.

Medium-sized 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, the claws are long and straight. The coloration of the upper body is usually brownish-gray, sometimes with a reddish tint. The tip of the tail is black or grey. On the back, a dark brown striation is visible, formed by the ends of the guard hairs. At the ends of the ears, black rims are distinguishable; buffy patches 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 shed 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 occurs in September-November.

European rabbits prefer places with rugged terrain and overgrown with shrubs. 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. Important for rabbits is 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 the 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 night image life. 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:

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.

When feeding, rabbits do not move more than 100 m from their burrows. In this regard, their diet is not selective, and the composition of feed is determined by their availability. Food is different in winter and summer. In summer, they eat the green parts of 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. A significant role in winter nutrition is played by the shoots and bark of trees and shrubs. In a situation of food shortage, they eat their own feces (coprophagia).

Eight newborn rabbits

Rabbits are very prolific. The breeding season covers most of the year. During the year, rabbits can bring offspring in some cases up to 2-4 times. Yes, in Southern Europe the rabbit from March to October brings 3-5 litters of 5-6 rabbits. In the northern parts of the range, breeding continues through June-July. Out of season pregnant females are rare. Populations introduced into southern hemisphere, under favorable conditions, multiply all year round. 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 wild environment usually 4-7, on industrial farms 8-10. Postpartum estrus is characteristic, when females are ready for mating again a few hours after birth. The average population growth per season is 20-30 rabbits per female cat. 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 the 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 to delivery, and the embryos spontaneously resolve.

Before giving birth, the rabbit arranges a nest inside the hole, combing out the underfur for him from the fur on her stomach. Rabbits, unlike hares, are born naked, blind and completely helpless; at birth, they 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. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 5-6 months, so early litters can already breed at the end of summer. However, in wild populations young rabbits rarely breed in their first year of life. In captivity, young female rabbits can give birth as early as 3 months of age. Despite the high reproduction rate, due to the mortality of young animals in the wild, the population profit 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 water floods the burrows. Only a few rabbits live past the age of 3 years. The maximum life expectancy is 12-15 years.

The number of populations of wild rabbits is subject to significant changes, in some cases it can reach abnormally high level. With mass reproduction, they harm the forest and agriculture.

They are hunted for fur and meat. The rabbit has been domesticated for over 1000 years. The issues of breeding rabbits for industrial purposes are handled by the livestock industry - rabbit breeding. It is believed that rabbit breeding was first organized in French monasteries in 600-1000. n. e. At present, rabbit breeding is an important branch of the world economy; About 66 breeds have been bred, mainly for meat and fur. There are downy and decorative breeds, for example, the Angora rabbit, in which down makes up about 90% of all wool. Domesticated rabbits differ from wild ones in color, fur length and weight - they are able to gain up to 10 kg. Rabbits are widely used as laboratory animals for testing new medications, Food; used for experiments in genetics. Rabbits can also be kept as pets.

Wild European rabbits are the ancestors of the familiar domestic rabbits. Initially, this species of the hare family lived only in the central and southern parts of Europe, but then it was successfully settled far from its original places.

Today, the European rabbit lives in Australia and on nearby islands, and also inhabits parts of North Africa. For the first time this type of animal was domesticated in ancient times, when the Roman Empire existed.

Since then, rabbits are considered pets, they are kept both for slaughter and for decorative purposes.

The European wild rabbit is no different large sizes, it strongly resembles a hare: its body grows from 30 to 45 centimeters in length, and the weight of this animal does not exceed 2.5 kilograms. The ears of a European rabbit are slightly shorter than those of a hare, their length is no more than 7.2 centimeters, and the hind legs are not so big. The fur cover of the representatives of the species is colored in a grayish-brown hue, but depending on the habitat, it can change to a red color. The ventral region of the body is always light, and the tips of the tail and ears have dark markings. Like wild hares, European rabbits are subject to seasonal molting.

Any terrain is suitable for wild rabbits to live, but these animals still try to avoid dense forest areas. Often the European rabbit can be found in highlands, although this animal does not rise high into the mountains. The European wild rabbit also likes spaces near settlements: close proximity to people does not bother him. Apparently, therefore, rabbits could easily become pets.

Like all representatives of rabbits, the European species can be active at any time of the day, but the habitat plays a big role here: if there are many dangers and enemies around, then the rabbit leaves the hole at night. These mammals live in burrows, which they either build themselves or are occupied by ownerless ones.

Rabbits are social animals. They live in groups of 8-10 individuals. Each such community has its own hierarchy and rules of conduct. Going in search of food, European rabbits try not to stray far from their hole, so that there is always the opportunity to hide from the enemy chasing them (for example, or). Plant food serves as food for these animals: roots and leaves, tree bark, as well as the remains of grass under a layer of snow (in winter).

The mating season for these mammals occurs several times a year. European rabbits are highly prolific: in a year they can reproduce from two to six offspring, each of which can have from 2 to 12 babies. Count - in a year it turns out not so little, isn't it? Pregnancy in a female wild European rabbit lasts no more than a month, and the new generation is capable of reproducing its own offspring already at the age of six months. The life expectancy of this species of animals is 12 - 15 years, but the laws of nature are harsh, and most often these cute little animals die at the age of three.

Appearance

Medium-sized 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, the claws are long and straight. The coloration of the upper body is usually brownish-gray, sometimes with a reddish tint. The tip of the tail is black or grey. On the back, a dark brown striation is visible, formed by the ends of the guard hairs. At the ends of the ears, black rims are distinguishable; buffy patches 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 shed 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 occurs in September-November.

Spreading

Initially, the range of the rabbit was limited to the Iberian Peninsula and isolated areas in the south of France and northwest Africa: it was here that these heat-loving animals survived after the last major ice age. However, thanks to economic activity The human rabbit has settled on all continents except Asia and Antarctica. It is believed that rabbits came to the Mediterranean region along with the Romans; Normans in the 12th century brought them to England and Ireland. In the Middle Ages, the rabbit spread throughout almost all of Europe.

The determining factor for the optimal life of the species is the minimum number of days with snow cover per year (up to 37), as well as maximum amount winters without stable snow cover (at least 79% on average). If the number of days from snow cover exceeds this indicator, the population of rabbits acquires a pulsating character, i.e. in mild winters, in case of overpopulation, rabbits from more southern regions move to more northern ones, where they again die in more harsh winters. The maximum possible threshold is 102 days with snow cover.

At present, wild rabbits live in most areas of Western and Central Europe, in Scandinavia, in southern Ukraine, in the Crimea, in 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 Island, Hawaiian Islands), rabbits were released specifically so that they would breed and serve as a source of food for the crews of passing ships. Total number islands where rabbits have been introduced reaches 500; thus, they live in a wild state on a number of islands in the Caspian Sea (Zhiloy, Nargen, Bullo, etc.), where they were brought in the 19th century. In the middle of the XVIII century. rabbits were brought to Chile , from where they have already independently moved to the territory of Argentina . 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 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.

Food

When feeding, rabbits do not move more than 100 m from their burrows. In this regard, their diet is not selective, and the composition of feed is determined by their availability. Food is different in winter and summer. In summer, they eat the green parts of herbaceous plants; in the fields and vegetable 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. A significant role in winter nutrition is played by the shoots and bark of trees and shrubs. They “ring” the trunks of cherries and acacias, in case of hunger they gnaw the bark of walnuts, they try to climb trees and shrubs 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 prolific. The 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, from March to October, a rabbit brings 3-5 litters out of 5-6 rabbits. In the northern parts of the range, breeding continues through June-July. Out of season pregnant females are rare. Populations introduced in the Southern Hemisphere breed 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. The average population growth per season is 20-30 rabbits per female cat. 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 the 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 to delivery, and the embryos spontaneously resolve.

Before giving birth, the rabbit arranges a nest inside the hole, combing out the underfur for him from the fur on her stomach. Rabbits, unlike hares, are born naked, blind and completely helpless; at birth, they 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. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 5-6 months, so early litters can already breed at the end of summer. However, in wild populations, young rabbits rarely breed in their first year of life. In captivity, young female rabbits can give birth as early as 3 months of age. Despite the high reproduction rate, due to the mortality of young animals in the wild, the population profit 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 water floods the burrows. Only a few rabbits live past the age of 3 years. The maximum life expectancy is 12-15 years.

Number and importance for humans

The number of populations of wild rabbits is subject to significant changes, in some cases it can reach an abnormally high level. With mass reproduction, they harm forestry and agriculture.

They are hunted for fur and meat. The rabbit has been domesticated for over 1000 years. The issues of breeding rabbits for industrial purposes are 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, bring great harm, eating away vegetation, damaging crops and spoiling lands with their burrows. So, on some islands of the Pacific Ocean, rabbits ate vegetation, which caused soil erosion and the destruction of the coastal zone where seabirds nested.

However, the greatest damage was caused by the spread of rabbits in Australia, where they were brought in the 18th century. In 1859, the settler Tom Austin, who lived in the state of Victoria, released 24 rabbits into the wild, they bred, and by 1900 their number in Australia was already estimated at 20 million heads. Rabbits eat grass, making food competition for sheep and large cattle. They cause even more damage to the native fauna and flora of Australia, eating relict vegetation and displacing native species, which 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 deal with these pests was the "bacteriological war" of the 1950s, when they tried to infect rabbits with an acute viral disease - myxomatosisendemic to South America. The initial effect was very large, in many areas of Australia up to 90% of all rabbits died out. Survivors have developed immunity. The rabbit problem is still acute in Australia and

Appearance

Medium-sized 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, the claws are long and straight. The coloration of the upper body is usually brownish-gray, sometimes with a reddish tint. The tip of the tail is black or grey. On the back, a dark brown striation is visible, formed by the ends of the guard hairs. At the ends of the ears, black rims are distinguishable; buffy patches 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 shed 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 occurs in September-November.

Spreading

The rabbit's range was originally restricted to the Iberian Peninsula and isolated areas in southern France and northwest Africa. However, thanks to human economic activity, the rabbit has settled on all continents, except for Asia and Antarctica. It is believed that rabbits came to the Mediterranean region along with the Romans; Normans in the 12th century brought them to England and Ireland. In the Middle Ages, the rabbit spread throughout almost all of Europe.

Currently, wild rabbits live in most areas of Western and Central Europe, in Scandinavia, in southern Ukraine (including Crimea), in 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 Island, Hawaiian Islands), rabbits were released specifically so that they would breed 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 the 19th century. In the middle of the XVIII century. rabbits were brought to Chile , from where they have already independently moved to the territory of Argentina . 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.

Lifestyle

European rabbits prefer places with rugged terrain and overgrown with shrubs.

Wild rabbits settle mainly in areas with shrub vegetation and rugged terrain - along beams, ravines, steep coasts of seas and estuaries, abandoned quarries. They are less common in forest belts, gardens, parks, and very rarely in arable fields, where modern methods of tillage destroy its holes. They do not avoid the neighborhood of a person, settling on the outskirts of settlements, in landfills and wastelands. The mountains do not rise above 600 m above sea level. Important for rabbits is 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.

The daily activity of a rabbit is strongly affected by the level of anxiety. Where rabbits are not disturbed, they are active mostly during the day; during persecution 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.

Territoriality

wild rabbit

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. 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.

Food

When feeding, rabbits do not move more than 100 m from their burrows. In this regard, their diet is not selective, and the composition of feed is determined by their availability. Food is different in winter and summer. In summer, they eat the green parts of herbaceous plants; in the fields and vegetable 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. A significant role in winter nutrition is played by the shoots and bark of trees and shrubs. In a situation of food shortage, they eat their own feces (coprophagia).

reproduction

Eight newborn rabbits

Rabbits are very prolific. The 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, from March to October, a female rabbit brings 3-5 litters out of 5-6 rabbits. In the northern parts of the range, breeding continues through June-July. Out of season pregnant females are rare. Populations introduced to the Southern Hemisphere, under favorable conditions, breed throughout the year. 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. The average population growth per season is 20-30 rabbits per female cat. 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 the 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 to delivery, and the embryos spontaneously resolve.

Before giving birth, the rabbit arranges a nest inside the hole, combing out the underfur for him from the fur on her stomach. Rabbits, unlike hares, are born naked, blind and completely helpless; at birth, they 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. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 5-6 months, so early litters can already breed at the end of summer. However, in wild populations, young rabbits rarely breed in their first year of life. In captivity, young female rabbits can give birth as early as 3 months of age. Despite the high reproduction rate, due to the mortality of young animals in the wild, the population profit 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 water floods the burrows. Only a few rabbits live past the age of 3 years. The maximum life expectancy is 12-15 years.

Number and importance for humans

The number of populations of wild rabbits is subject to significant changes, in some cases it can reach an abnormally high level. With mass reproduction, they harm forestry and agriculture.

They are hunted for fur and meat. The rabbit has been domesticated for over 1000 years. The issues of breeding rabbits for industrial purposes are handled by the livestock industry - rabbit breeding. It is believed that rabbit breeding was first organized in French monasteries in - BC. n. e. At present, rabbit breeding is an important branch of the world economy; About 66 breeds have been bred, mainly for meat and fur. There are downy and decorative breeds, for example, angora rabbitwhose down makes up about 90% of all wool. Domesticated rabbits differ from wild ones in color, fur length and weight - they are able to gain up to 7 kg. Rabbits are widely used as laboratory animals for testing new drugs, food products; 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 by eating vegetation, damaging crops and spoiling the land with their burrows. So, on some islands of the Pacific Ocean, rabbits ate vegetation, which caused soil erosion and the destruction of the coastal zone where seabirds nested.

However, the greatest damage was caused by the spread of rabbits in Australia, where they were brought in (Victoria). 24 brought rabbits bred, and by the year their number in Australia was already estimated at 20 million heads. Rabbits eat grass, making food competition to sheep and cattle. They cause even more damage to the native 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 deal with these pests was the "bacteriological war" of the 1950s, when they tried to infect rabbits with an acute viral disease - myxomatosisendemic to South America. The initial effect was very large, in many areas of Australia up to 90% of all rabbits died out. Survivors have developed immunity. The rabbit problem is still acute in Australia and New Zealand.

Notes

Links

• Russian Branch of the World Association for Scientific Rabbit Breeding

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• Hares
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• farm animals
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• Mammals of Eurasia
• Fauna of North Africa
• Animals described in 1758
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• Invasive animal species

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The message about the rabbit can be used in preparation for the lesson. The story about the rabbit for children can be supplemented with interesting facts.

Rabbit Report

Rabbit - small furry animal genus of mammals of the hare family. These animals are not only bred for meat and fur, but also kept at home as decorative pets.

Description of the rabbit

The size of an adult rabbit is from 20 to 50 cm in length, and the weight is from 400 g to 2 kg. Rabbit fur is fluffy, warm and soft.

The coat of the rabbit is long and soft, and the color includes various variations of gray, brown and yellow flowers, although rabbits with a solid color of fur are often found.

How long does a rabbit live?

AT wild nature The life expectancy of rabbits is 3-4 years. At home, rabbits live from 4-5 to 13-15 years.

What does a rabbit eat?

Rabbits eat, in addition to herbs, wild and cultivated cereals, cabbage, lettuce, root crops, sometimes small insects. The winter diet includes the bark and branches of trees and shrubs, underground parts of plants that can be dug out from under the snow. In the absence of food, rabbits practice coprophagy - eating their own feces.

Where do rabbits live?

Rabbits are distributed almost all over the world. For their home, they choose thickets of shrubs, slopes of ravines and hills.

Unlike hares, rabbits dig deep holes - real underground labyrinths. The passages stretch far in different directions, sometimes intersecting with each other. Sometimes a rabbit wanders underground for a long time before it comes out.

rabbit breeding

Rabbits are very prolific. Rabbits can bring offspring several times a year. At one time, 4-7 rabbits are usually born. They are born naked and blind, in nests that females specially line with their own fluff. In a few days they will be covered with fluff - and their eyes will open. The rabbit feeds the babies with milk.