Rabbits

Rabbits are small to medium-sized mammals in the family Leporidae, within the order Lagomorpha. They are lagomorphs, a group that also includes hares and pikas, but rabbits differ in several features. A defining trait is their dental arrangement, with a pair of large upper incisors and a second, smaller pair (peg teeth) behind them. Rabbits generally have shorter ears and a stockier build compared with many hares, and they typically give birth in sheltered nests with altricial young, whereas hares tend to produce precocial young above ground.

Rabbits are herbivores with a specialized digestive system that relies on a large cecum for microbial fermentation. They practice cecotrophy, re-ingesting nutrient-rich soft feces (cecotropes) to maximize nutrient uptake. Their diet consists mainly of grasses, leafy greens, and other plant matter. Most species are social and may live in warrens or other communal arrangements, and many are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk.

Reproduction in rabbits is prolific. Females (does) are often capable of multiple litters per year, with gestation around 30 days and varying litter sizes. Rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning ovulation is triggered by mating. Their young are born blind and helpless, requiring maternal care during a relatively short weaning period.

Domesticated rabbits (originating from the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus) are kept as pets and raised for meat, fur, and scientific research. In the wild, they play a key ecological role as prey and can become agricultural pests in some regions. Several wild rabbit species face habitat change or disease pressures, affecting their conservation status.