The New England Cottontail used to be a common sight throughout the North Eastern United States. They used to thrive amongst dense hedgerows. They are the only rabbit known to native to Maine. But deforestation and urban sprawl has caused a drop in population believed to be as high as 75%.
Danger, Danger Everywhere.
The New England Cottontail, like most wild animals, is great prey for bigger species, such as owls, foxes and hawks. They also face danger from another rabbit species, the Eastern cottontail, a bigger, faster breed introduced from Europe to America in the 1920’s by private hunting clubs to increase the available game population. These rabbits bully their smaller cousins out of their homes, taking over the few suitable habitats that remain.
A Plan to save the Cottontails?
In attempt to prevent the New England Cottontail following species like the Columbia Basin Pygmy rabbit into total extinction, the York Landtrust in Maine has declared 2009 the “Year of the Cottontail”. A plot of land known as Highland Farms, actually an abandoned and over grown golf course, has proved to be one of the last places in Maine where the New England Cottontail continues to breed and thrive. It has also become the new home of several other threatened species, including the American Woodcock and the black racer snake. The trust is trying to preserve these unique conditions and duplicate them in other areas. They also plan to begin constructing artificial burrows and adding more of the scrubby brush and hedgerows that the New England Cottontails need to thrive.
The Amami is hardly a recognizable rabbit breed. Even many expert rabbit fanciers do not know it exists. Sadly they may never get the chance to learn about these unusual Japanese rabbits, as they are almost extinct, with less than 5,000 remaining. However, scientists in Osaka are trying to make sure that the Amami survives, with the help of cloning.
Struggling to Survive in a Changing World.
The Amami can only be found on two isolated Japanese islands, and have lived happily in dense wooded areas surviving on bamboo shots, berries and other local vegetation. They are sometimes called “living fossils” as they are the last remaining descendants of ancient wild rabbits that once roamed the whole of the Asian continent. They weigh an average of 5 to 6 pounds, and are usually a dark grey in color. Their dwindling numbers have come about mainly as a result of human interference in their lives. Up until the 1920’s they were hunted for both meat and medical purposes, then heavy logging in the
Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima Islands where they live all but destroyed their habitat. The fact that a healthy Amami doe only usually produces two small litters per year meant that natural restocking could not keep up with decimation being caused by the modern world and its’ people.
Using Science to Save a Species.
The Osaka geneticists, from the noted Kiki University, took cells from the ear of a dead Amami rabbit, and introduced them to an unfertilized egg from a lab rabbit. They did manage to create a viable embryo that was successfully re implanted. Although the scientists have yet to publically release the results of this first pregnancy, they do intend to continue their work until they are successful. The same team did successfully clone and restore a species of wild rat, so they believe that saving the ancient Amami is a real possibility.
February 28th, 2009
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The largest of the British rabbit breeds is called, aptly enough, the British Giant. The breed is characterized by its large body, flat on top, and its long erect ears and big, bright eyes. They do not have especially long fur, usually less than an inch in depth, and can be found in many colors, from bright white and opal to chocolate brown and black.
Caring for the Bigger Bunny
Although their fur is fairly short, this breed still requires regular and careful grooming and brushing, as their coats tend to mat easily. Eye color will vary from rabbit to rabbit, the white British Giant rabbit however is well known for its piercing pink eyes. Read more…
English Spot Rabbits – Professional Show Offs
The English Rabbit, also known as the English Spot Rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of show rabbit in the world. The original English rabbit was traditionally white and black, or white and blue, but since the 1920s show associations have accepted many other colors including chocolate, lilac and tortoiseshell.
A Long and Storied History
The English rabbit first appeared around 1848, in England of course. After an initial burst of popularity on the show circuit the breed the English Spot died out somewhat. However it burst back onto the scene in the late 1880’s in new colors and varieties and has remained a rabbit fancy favorite ever since. Read more…
The Dwarf Lop – Colorful and Cuddly
A Dwarf Lop is very similar in appearance to its’ similarly sized cousin, the Mini Lop. The only real difference is size, the Dwarf Lop being larger by a pound or so on average.
Both breeds make great pets, but as the Dwarf Lop lives to an average of nine or ten years old, they are rabbits that will be around for a long time, with proper care and handling.
Do the Ears Hang Low?
The baby Dwarf Lop is born, like all breeds of lop, with ears that stand up straight. As they mature Read more…
Cute, Cuddly and Economical
The Mini Rex is now the most shown breed in the world, and one of the most popular with pet owners. Yet they have only actually been around since the mid eighties, when Mona Berryhill, a breeder from Texas, successfully bred a Dwarf Rex to a Lynx Rex.
So what is it about these little guys that make them so very popular?
The Mini Rex is of course very small, averaging three to four pounds in weight. Their fur is extremely luxurious but not so long that they require constant grooming. Read more…
Line Breeding is not nearly as complicated as you might think, it is a concept that extends to all kinds of animals, from cats to horses, pigs to rabbits. The basic idea never changes.
Line Breeding is the process of breeding “like with like”. That means that the rabbits the line breeder uses all come from the same family line, and have similar all around genetic makeups.
Line Breeding allows the rabbit breeder, professional or hobbyist, to produce Read more…
Why Should I Spay or Neuter my Pet Bunny? Why not Breed?
It may be an attractive idea. Breeding your cute pet bunny, to produce a few more cute bunnies that you could put into a show or sell to the local pet store.
However, rabbit breeding is a serious business, and thousands of rabbits are left homeless every year as a result of a “back yard breeding” experiment gone wrong.
Get Rich with Rabbits?
Most serious rabbit breeders will tell you, if you think you will become wealthy breeding bunnies, think again. If you are willing to breed rabbits for the love of it, and have the considerable resources and available space to do so successfully, it can be incredibly rewarding.
Experienced rabbit breeders take great pride in the development of new colors Read more…
Choosing the Right Rabbits for First Time Breeding
Choosing the right rabbits to begin a new breeding line is essential to its success or failure. Finding healthy, physically sound specimens is the first step for any breeder just starting out.
Making Sure Your Bunnies are Ready to Mate
When selecting rabbits for breeding the animals should be thoroughly checked for disease, preferably by a good vet.
Many does suffer from uterine and ovarian cancers at an early age, and to attempt to breed them could prove disastrous for all involved.Bucks should also be checked too, just to make sure they are disease free and ready to mate.
Inexperienced breeders may consider Read more…
Breeding the Holland Lop, a Beginner’s Guide
For Holland Lop Rabbit Breeding you’ll need separate cages for the buck and the doe. They will happily breed unsupervised if they’re caged together.
You will also need a different cage for the offspring, and a lot of cages if you care to acquire them up for meat or appearance.
This can be quite a considerable financial investment to start with…feeders, trays, water bottles etc. You’ll also need a nestbox for the doe.
Make a sure your rabbits are free of diseases. Rabbit VD can cause the doe to lose her fur. Make certain your chosen rabbits are well conditioned and in good shape. Overweight does have a difficult time giving birth. Read more…