Idea # 331 – Observing wild rabbits in Orkney Islands
The European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, is also named wild rabbit when it is in the wild state. This animal looks like the hare a lot but it presents certain differences allowing to identify them: its ears are shorter than the head, from 4 to 8 cms long, its dark brown iris, the not split nails ; on the other hand, it lives in a den. It measures 34 in 50 cms, for a 2,5 kg weight on average. Herbivore, it feeds on herbaceous plants, on barks of young trees, on roots, on bulbs, on seeds. It absorbs from 200 to 500 g of food a day. Very good runner, he can reach a speed from 30 to 40 kph. We find it in Europe, in Australia and in New Zealand, in moors, scrublands, forests, always unless 1 000 m of height. It is very present in the natural and wild zones of the Scotland, in particular on the Orkney Islands. Let’s go, Jeannot is waiting for us !
Where is it ?
Marwick Head, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom
