Old World Rabbit

NAME:

Old World Rabbit

ZOO NAME:

Morpheous and Pipkin (found in the Education Department)

CLASS:

Mammalia

ORDER:

Lagomorpha

GENUS:

Oryctolagus

SPECIES:

cuniculus

LENGTH:

13-18″

WEIGHT:

3-5 lbs.

LIFESPAN:

10 yrs. (captive), 5-7 yrs. (wild)

DIET:

Plants, fruits, vegetables, hay or grasses

PREDATORS:

Snakes, Birds, Mammals

RANGE

Originally in southern France/Europe; now on every continent but Asia and Antarctica

HABITAT

Sandy hillsides with shrubs and bushes; Coniferous Woodland Forests

CHARACTERISTICS

Rabbits have long ears, long hind legs and short, fluffy tails. Coat colors vary from gray to red and brown to black. The coat may also have spots or stripes. Although similar in appearance to rodents, rabbits are in a different order, Lagomorpha. Lagomorphs have 2 more sharp teeth than rodents do, which grow throughout their lives.

BEHAVIOR

Nocturnal animals, rabbits may also be seen grazing in the early morning or evening. They live in large colonies with shared burrows. Rabbits are very good at digging and generally do not eat meat. Wild, male rabbits can be very aggressive! They spray urine on other males as a challenge for dominance. Often, these challenges lead to the serious injury or death of one of the males.

REPRODUCTION

Rabbits have 6-8 young per litter (called kits, kittens or bunnies) after a gestation of just 30 days. The newborns are born in a special burrow away from the main colony. Rabbits may have 3-4 litters per year. Both females and males are sexually mature by 8 months.