Animal Talk

fluffy facts

9

Food, shelter and inoculations for a long, healthy life

Text: Dr Dorianne Elliott | Photography: Oleksandr Lytvynenko

The domestic rabbit is descended from the wild European rabbit. The

Romans used to farm these rabbits for their meat and fur, but due to

their habit of digging tunnels, rabbits invariably escaped their cages and

many survived in the wild. The spread of the Roman empire assisted the

European rabbit in spreading far and wide across Europe and Asia.

Selective breeding by humans has produced hundreds of different

domestic breeds, from the super fluffy Angora and the skinny,

long-legged Belgian Hare, to the tiny Netherland Dwarf and the

floppy-eared Lop.

Origin

lifestyle

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