Rabbit

Rabbits were introduced to Britain by the Normans who kept them in fenced off warrens and harvested their meat and fur. The earliest known records of rabbits in Britain occurred during the 12th Century. Rabbits are very adaptable and have become so successful in many areas that they are considered to be a pest. Wild rabbits are gregarious and several hundred individuals may be found in one warren (a network of underground burrows). They are active during dusk and dawn, but will also come out during the day in undisturbed areas. Rabbits primarily feed on grass and leafy plants, but they will feed on bulbs, bark and twigs when food is scarce. Before the second world war rabbits were very commonly eaten many people. For small numbers, cage traps are an effctive method of control.

Rabbit: Description & Life Cycle

Rabbits are native to the mediterranean area, and were only introduced to Britain in the 12th or 13th century.

Description:

Buck rabbit is about 48cm long, the doe is slightly smaller with a smaller head.
Greyish brown fur with orange ting at the nape of the neck.
Short tail, black on the top, white underneath.
Long ears but unlike the Hare, no black tips.
Black and ginger rabbits are common in large well estblished colonies.

Life cycle:

Rabbits can breed all year round, but the normal breeding season lasts from February to August.
The doe digs a special burrow away from the main colony and lines it with grass and fur pulled from her own belly.
The young are born naked and blind.
They grow quickly and after 3-4 weeks they leave the burrow and fend for themselves.
Each female can produce 3 to 6 litters per year of about 5 kits in each litter.
Predation is very high and fewer than 10% reach adulthood.
Wild adults seldom survive for more than 18 months.

Evidence of infestation:

Visual; rabbits are most often seen grazing in the easrly morning or late evening.
Adult rabbits tend to feed through the night whereas baby rabbits tend to feed in the twilight hours.
Burrows; are usually in banks or hillsides and rabbits favoure light sandy soils, but will tackle making burrows in heavy soils if there is no easy alternative.
Burrows are usually 10-20cm diametre and there is nearly always a 'back door' bolt hole to enable them to quickly escape if a predator enters the burrow system.
Laterines; rabbits tend to deposit in specific regularly used areas.
Paths; between their burrows and feeding areas tend to be well defined and can be identified as rabbit because their action of hopping along the track leaves alternate flattened and less flattened areas along the route.
Scrapes; are left throughout their territory as they scratch small scrapes and often deposit a few droppings to mark their territory.
Feeding; rabbits prefer a tight close grass sward and so tend to favour certain areas which are eaten down very close to the ground compared to adjacent areas.