Rabbits

Did you know rabbit's aren't native to Britain?

Yes that's right. We all think of rabbits as being a classic british wild aniamal but they're not!!

They originate in spain and south-west france. They were brought to England by the Normans in the 12th century. They were kept in warrens and farmed for their meat and fur.

They didn't became wild in britain in the 19th century.

Then in the 1950's myxomatosis was introduced in an attempt to curb the population.

Now a day there is an approximate population of over 40 million rabbits in britain.

A couple pieces of vocabulary for you:

Altricial: means an animals offspring that is born needing constant care from the parents, often born blind, deaf and hairless like rabbits are. This is apposed to precocial animals that are born able to fend for them selves like zebra.

Crepuscular: meaning an animal that is only awake around dawn and dusk like a rabbit. this is apposed to nocturnal and diurnal, animals awake only at night or day.

Think about that next time you see a rabbit nibbling grass by the side of the road!!