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RABBITS (European) Oryctolagus cuniculus--Lagomorpha,
Leporidae. (Contacts) ----- CLICK on Photo to enlarge &
search for Subject Matter with Ctrl/F. GO TO ALL: Bio-Control Cases
Natural Enemies The European rabbit is
the only species that can die from myxomatosis. The most
lethal strain incubates for five days, after which the eyelids swell, and the
inflammation spreads to the base of
the ears, the forehead and nose. The
anal and genital area also swells. During
the last stages of the disease, the swellings discharge infectious fluids,
with death usually following after twelve days of infection. In Britain, the principal carrier of
myxomatosis is the flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi, while in Australia it is mosquitoes. Rabbit haemorrhagic
disease (RHD), also known
as viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) or rabbit calicivirus disease in
Australia, is specific to the European rabbit, and causes lesions of hepatitis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and haemorrhaging, mainly in
the lungs. Susceptible rabbits may
die within 30 hours of infection. Most
rabbits in England are immune to RHD, due to exposure to a weaker strain.
The European rabbit has
many predators including Foxes, dingoes, wolves, lynxes, wolverines and dogs that
kill both adult and young rabbits by stalking and surprising them. However, few rabbits are usually caught as
they can quickly for cover. Further,
evidence from a study in Spain suggests they may avoid areas where the
recent droppings of predators indicate that they have eaten rabbit. Both foxes and badgers will dig out kittens from shallow burrows,
with the latter predators being too slow to catch adult rabbits. Both wild and domestic cats will stalk and leap upon rabbits, particularly young ones leaving
their burrows for the first time. Wildcats take rabbits if found: in eastern Scotland,
where rabbits are abundant, they can make up over 90% of the wildcats' diet. Most domestic cats are incapable of killing
healthy, full-grown adults, but will kill weak and diseased ones. Female rabbits can be fiercely protective
of their young, having been observed to chase away large cats, ferrets, stoats and weasels. However, rabbits typically
run from them, and may fear them innately. Cases are known of rabbits becoming paralysed with fear and
dying when pursued by stoats or weasels, even when rescued unharmed. It is
known that the European rabbit makes up 85% of the polecat's diet, and its availability is important to the
success of breeding female mink. Brown rats can be a serious threat to kittens, as they
will reside in rabbit burrows during the summer, and attack them in groups.
Although many birds of prey are capable of killing rabbits, few are strong enough to carry
them. Large species, such as eagles, may carry rabbits back to their nests, while small
eagles, buzzards and harriers have difficulty. Hawks and owls typically
only carry off very small kittens. Biological Control Biological control
attempts resulted in the importation of a myxomytosis virus, which caused
high mortality among the rabbit populations.
Although considerable practical reductions of the rabbits were
realized, they still continue to pose severe threats to the fragile flora of
Australia and compete for the available food on the open rangeland. Mutants of the virus that are more viral
continuously appear, followed by the immediate development of resistance in
the rabbit populations. REFERENCES: [References may be found also
at: MELVYL
Library ] Dudziński, M. L.;
Mykytowycz, R.; Gambale, S. 1977. Behavioral Characteristics of Adolescence
in Young Captive European Rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus. Aggressive
Behavior. 3 (4): 313–330. Ferrand, N. 2008. Inferring the Evolutionary History of the
European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Molecular Markers. In:
Alves P.C., Ferrand N., Hackländer K. (eds) Lagomorph Biology. Springer,
Berlin, Heidelberg, González, Mariscal, Gabriela; Albonetti, Maria Emanuela; Cuamatzi, Evelia; Beyer, Carlos. 1997. Transitory inhibition of scent marking by copulation in male and female rabbits. Animal Behaviour. 53 (2): 323–333. Hoffman, R. S.; Smith, A. T.
2005. Order Lagomorpha. In: Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M
(eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic
Reference (3rd ed.). Johns
Hopkins University Press. pp. 205–206. Daly, J. C. 1981. Effects
of Social Organization and Environmental Diversity on Determining the Genetic
Structure of a Population of the Wild Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus. Evolution 35 (4):
689–706/ Kemppainen, Jouni
K. October 2007. Kanit keskuudessamme (The rabbits among
us). Suomen Kuvalehti (in Finnish): 76–83. Lopez-Martinez, Nieves. 2008.
The Lagomorph Fossil Record and the Origin of the European Rabbit. Springer
Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Mykytowycz, R.; Dudziński, M. L. 1972. Aggressive and Protective Behaviour of
Adult Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) Towards Rabbits. Behaviour 43 (1): 97–120. Prada, Laura M.;
Guerrero-Casado, José; Tortosa, Francisco S.
18 July
2018. European
rabbits recognise conspecifics in their predators' diets. Acta
Ethologica 21 (3): 163–168. Wozencraft, W. C.
2005. Order Carnivora. In:
Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the
World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. |
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