European Rabbit

Habitat: Rabbits avoid cold and damp environments. They prefer to dig their burrows in sandy soil. They prefer grasslands and meadows surrounded by forests, hedges, fallow land, etc.

Appearance: The rabbit is native to Europe. The species has been introduced to all continents except Antarctica. Its original range included the Iberian Peninsula and later southern France and North Africa. Over the centuries, rabbits have been introduced to almost all of Western and Central Europe, where they are common and numerous, except in rocky areas and high mountains. The rabbit is absent from most of the Balkans and Northern Europe, with the exception of Romania.

Pairing season: Normally begins in February and lasts until the end of July. Rabbits live in a rabbit warren, an extensive underground system of tunnels and chambers. Burrows are preferably dug in the middle and upper parts of slopes. For the nest, 1 m long tunnels are dug, which open into a nesting chamber, 4 to 6 young.

Characteristics: Head-body length 35-45 cm, ear length 6.5-7.5 cm, tail length 4-8 cm, weight 1.2-2.5 kg, average age 2 years.

Food: As herbivores, rabbits eat grasses, herbs, shoots, bark and field crops. They forage selectively, choosing protein-rich and easily digestible parts. The diet of rabbits varies greatly in space and time. In coastal areas, a large proportion consists of grasses and grass-like plants, but the proportion of herbs increases significantly during the summer months.