Rabbit
(Scientific Name: Oryctolagus
cuniculus)
Description:
Wild Oryctolagus
cuniculus weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kg, and is from 38-50 cm
long. Domestic individuals may be larger. The coat is generally
grayish, with black and brown (and sometimes red) sprinkled
throughout. The underside of the body is paler gray, and the
underside of the tail is white. This species (and rabbit species
generally) have smaller ears and shorter, less powerful legs than
their relatives, the hares. 
This
single species is the ancestor of all domestic rabbits (about 80
varieties!). Domesticated Oryctolagus
cuniculus vary tremendously in size, fur type, coloration,
and general appearance.
Habitat: Preferred habitat is dry areas near
sea level with soft, sandy soil (for easy burrowing). Brushy fields
are preferred for the cover they provide, but forests are also
inhabited. Cultivated land was once well-suited, but this is no
longer the case due to modern plowing techniques which destroy
rabbit burrows. Oryctolagus
cuniculus has learned to coexist with humans in cities,
making its home in parks and cemeteries as well as gardens and
lawns. Human activities, particularly the spread of agriculture,
have often inadvertently helped this species to colonize new areas.
