# Rabbit — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Leporidae (incl. Oryctolagus cuniculus)*

> Rabbits are small herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae (over 70 species); most are common, but a few wild species such as the riverine and volcano rabbits are Critically Endangered or Endangered, and pet and farmed rabbits raise real welfare concerns.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)  ·  **WARN range:** Worldwide

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Lifespan | 1-5 years wild; 8-12+ years domestic |
| Weight | Varies by species/breed; ~1-2.5 kg (European rabbit) |
| Size | Body roughly 20-50 cm, depending on species |
| Diet | Herbivore (grass, leafy plants, hay) |
| Gestation | About 28-31 days |
| Young per litter | 1-12 kits |
| Baby name | Kit (kitten) |
| Group name | Colony, nest or warren |
| Top speed | Up to ~35 mph (56 km/h) in the European rabbit |
| CITES | Not listed for most species; riverine rabbit not CITES-listed (IUCN Critically Endangered) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Lagomorpha
- **Family:** Leporidae (in part)
- **Representative genus:** Oryctolagus
- **Representative species:** Oryctolagus cuniculus

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)
- **Population:** Most species common; riverine rabbit only ~157-207 mature individuals
- **Trend:** Stable to increasing for common species; declining for several threatened wild species
- **Assessed:** 2019
- **CITES:** Not listed for most rabbit species
- Across the family the IUCN lists roughly 1 Critically Endangered, 9 Endangered and 8 Vulnerable species; the rest are mostly Least Concern. The Endangered status shown reflects notable threatened members such as the volcano rabbit.

## Key facts: Rabbit
- "Rabbit" covers 70+ species in the family Leporidae, not a single animal, and conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.
- The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the wild ancestor of all domestic and farmed breeds.
- Rabbits are prolific breeders: a gestation of roughly 28-31 days and litters of 1-12 kits mean populations rebound fast.
- Young are called kits (or kittens), females are does, and males are bucks; a group is a colony, nest or warren.
- Some wild species are in serious trouble; the riverine rabbit is Critically Endangered with only around 150-200 mature adults left.
- Pet and farmed rabbits face welfare risks from poor housing, isolation and unsuitable diet, and are widely abandoned after impulse adoption.

## One name, many species
The family Leporidae contains more than 70 living species grouped into roughly 11 genera. The most widespread are Oryctolagus (the single European rabbit species) and Sylvilagus (the 17 or so North and South American cottontails). Others are far more restricted: the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus), the red rock-hares (Pronolagus) of Africa, the Amami rabbit of Japan, the hispid hare of South Asia, and the striped rabbits of Southeast Asia. Rabbits are distinguished from rodents by having a second, small pair of upper incisors tucked behind the front teeth, a hallmark of the order Lagomorpha. Their eyes sit high and wide on the head, giving close to 360-degree vision to watch for predators while grazing.

## Built to breed and to flee
Rabbits are classic prey animals, and their biology reflects it. Gestation lasts only about 28 to 31 days, litters run from 1 to 12 kits, and females can conceive again almost immediately, so a single pair can found a large colony in a season. Kits are born blind and hairless in a fur-lined nest. To escape predators, the European rabbit can sprint in bursts of up to roughly 35 mph (about 56 km/h), zig-zagging toward the safety of its warren, a network of connected burrows shared by a social group. Rabbits are strict herbivores, eating grass and leafy vegetation, and they re-ingest soft night droppings to extract more nutrients, a process called caecotrophy.

## The wild species at risk
While pet shops overflow with rabbits, several wild species are vanishing. The riverine rabbit of South Africa's Karoo is Critically Endangered, with recent estimates of only about 157 to 207 mature individuals, threatened by the loss of the riverside scrub it depends on. Mexico's volcano rabbit, one of the world's smallest, is Endangered, clinging to grassy pine slopes around volcanoes near Mexico City. Across the family, the IUCN lists roughly one species as Critically Endangered, nine as Endangered and eight as Vulnerable, driven mainly by habitat loss, agriculture and hunting. Even the European rabbit, abundant where introduced, has declined in its native Iberia, where it is a keystone prey for the Iberian lynx.

## Pets, farms and welfare
Domestic rabbits descend entirely from the European rabbit and are among the most popular companion animals, yet they are also among the most misunderstood. They are social, intelligent and long-lived, reaching 8 to 12 years or more with good care, but are frequently confined to small hutches, kept alone, fed unsuitable pellet-only diets, or surrendered when novelty fades. Rabbits are also farmed in large numbers for meat and fur, where intensive cage systems raise significant welfare concerns. Responsible care means companionship, space to hop and stand upright, a hay-based diet, and never releasing pet rabbits into the wild, where they cannot survive or may disrupt local ecosystems.

## Rabbit vs Hare
| Feature | Rabbit | Hare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genus | Many genera (e.g. Oryctolagus, Sylvilagus) | Lepus |
| Young at birth | Blind, hairless, helpless (altricial) | Furred, eyes open, mobile (precocial) |
| Nesting | Often dig burrows or warrens | Nest in open shallow forms on the ground |
| Body and ears | Smaller body, shorter legs and ears | Larger body, longer legs and ears |
| Social life | Many are social and colonial | Mostly solitary |
| Domesticated | Yes (from European rabbit) | No |

## Rabbit Breeds Guide
From the Holland Lop and Netherland Dwarf to the Flemish Giant, Mini Rex and 14 more — explore 17 of the world's most searched rabbit breeds with temperament, size, lifespan, common health issues and responsible care tips.

Full breed library (17 guides): https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit#breeds

- **Holland Lop:** The world's favourite lop — compact, floppy-eared and big on personality. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/holland-lop
- **Netherland Dwarf:** Tiny, round and full of attitude — one of the smallest rabbit breeds. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/netherland-dwarf
- **Lionhead:** Named for its wool mane — a small, charismatic breed that photographs beautifully. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/lionhead
- **Mini Rex:** Velvet-like rex fur in a compact, gentle pet. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/mini-rex
- **Flemish Giant:** One of the largest rabbit breeds — a gentle giant when socialised. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/flemish-giant
- **English Angora:** Long wool coat requiring daily care — prized by fibre artists. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/english-angora
- **French Angora:** Dense wool with fewer face furnishings than English Angora. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/french-angora
- **Californian:** White body with dark points — popular show and meat breed. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/californian
- **New Zealand:** A red or white commercial breed common in research and meat lines. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/new-zealand
- **Dutch:** Classic white blaze and coloured saddle — a compact show favourite. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/dutch
- **Harlequin:** Bold alternating colour pattern prized on the show table. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/harlequin
- **Silver Fox:** Silvery tipped fur that stands upright when stroked. — https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit/silver-fox
- _…and 5 more breeds at the link above._

## What WARN does
This is an educational guide, and it is important to be clear about scope. The World Animal Rescue Network's funded rescue and welfare programmes are at launch stage and currently concentrated in five countries: Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Colombia. Rabbits are a globally distributed group, and WARN does not fund dedicated rabbit-specific projects. We publish this guide to support our broader mission of global animal-welfare awareness and accurate, accessible species information, and to point readers toward the closest relevant work we do support: protecting wild habitats that threatened species, including imperilled wild rabbits, depend on.

Rabbits remind us that protecting wildlife starts with protecting the places they live. WARN's rescue work is still at launch stage in five countries and does not yet fund rabbit-specific projects, but you can support the habitat protection that gives threatened species a future. Back our Habitat Protection appeal to help safeguard the wild spaces that vulnerable animals depend on.

## Frequently asked questions: Rabbit
### How many species of rabbit are there?
There are more than 70 living species in the rabbit family, Leporidae, divided into about 11 genera. This count includes well-known groups such as cottontails and the European rabbit, but excludes hares, which belong to the separate genus Lepus.

### What is a baby rabbit called?
A baby rabbit is called a kit, short for kitten. An adult female is a doe and an adult male is a buck. A group of rabbits is usually called a colony, a nest, or a warren.

### How fast can a rabbit run?
A wild European rabbit can reach short-burst speeds of around 35 mph (about 56 km/h), using sharp zig-zag turns to escape predators. Most pet rabbits are far slower, typically managing only single-digit speeds in mph.

### How long do rabbits live?
Wild rabbits often live only 1 to 5 years because of predation, but well-cared-for domestic rabbits commonly live 8 to 12 years, and some reach into their teens.

### Are any rabbits endangered?
Yes. While many rabbit species are common, several wild ones are threatened. The riverine rabbit of South Africa is Critically Endangered with only around 150 to 200 mature adults left, and Mexico's volcano rabbit is Endangered.

### What do rabbits eat?
Rabbits are strict herbivores. In the wild they graze on grass and leafy plants, and pet rabbits should eat mostly hay supplemented with leafy greens. They also re-ingest soft night droppings to absorb more nutrients from their food.

## Sources
- [Wikipedia: Rabbit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit)
- [Wikipedia: Riverine rabbit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverine_rabbit)
- [Wikipedia: Volcano rabbit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcano_rabbit)
- [IUCN Red List: Riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3326/45176532)
- [IUCN Red List: Volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19742/45180356)
- [IUCN Red List: European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41291/170619657)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/rabbit