What Do Wild Rabbits Eat? Wild rabbits draw their genesis from Europe (South-west France and Spain) and Africa. They are now found worldwide.
Wild rabbits are small mammals which are notable for their long ears, short fluffy tails, and whiskers.
Wild rabbits are herbivores. Their diet mainly constitutes of grass, twigs, leaves, shrubs, vegetables, and fruits.
Table of Contents
What Do Wild Rabbits Eat?
| Amami Rabbit | Ferns, grains, grass, seeds, and nuts. |
| Annamite Striped Rabbit | Plant matter |
| Riverine Rabbit | Riparian vegetation |
| Volcano Rabbit | Zacaton grass, young herbs and barks. |
| Pygmy Rabbit | Sagebrush, new foliage, and grass. |
| Eastern Cottontail Rabbit | Grasses, garden vegetables, wild strawberries, and woody plants. |
| Bunyoro Rabbit | Tubers, grasses, shrubs, and forbs. |
Wild Rabbits Diet By Types
Over 30 different types of wild rabbits exist in the world today. These are classified in 7 genera. These genera will form the basis for discussing the different types of rabbits that currently exist.
What Do Amami Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Pentalagus | Pentalagus furnessi |
Amami rabbits are herbivores feeding on ferns, grains, grass, seeds, and nuts.
This rabbit is found in the Amami and Tokuno islands, which are positioned off the southwestern coasts of Japan. These rabbits have their habitats in the forested regions (both new and old growth forests). Others are found in the grassland regions.
What Do Annamite Striped Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Nesolagus | Nesolagus timminsi |
Annamite striped-rabbits are herbivores, feeding on plant matter as well.
As their name suggests, this category of rabbits has seven dorsal stripes on their head and body. They inhabit rainforests.
What Do Riverine Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Bunolagus | Bunolagus monticularis |
Riverine rabbits are herbivores feeding on a diet of riparian vegetation (found along rivers).
This category of rabbits is only found in South Africa. Its habitat includes tropical and terrestrial lands, especially when considering the riverine scrubs found along dense seasonal rivers.
What Do Volcano Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Romerolagus | Romerolagus diazi |
Volcano rabbits feed mainly on zacaton grass. They also eat young herbs and barks.
As the name suggests, this rabbit is native to Mexico’s extinct volcanoes known as the Chichinautzin range. This rabbit inhabits temperate, tropical, and terrestrial regions, especially mountains, scrublands, and forests.
What Do Pygmy Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Brachylagus | Brachylagus idahoensis |
Pygmy rabbits mainly eat sagebrush as well as new foliage, and grass.
As implied by its name, this is the smallest rabbit in North America, which can fit on the palm. It inhabits terrestrial, and temperate regions, especially in grassland, savannah, and scrub forests.
What Do Eastern Cottontail Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Sylvilagus | Sylvilagus floridanus |
Eastern Cottontail rabbit is vegetarian, feeding on grasses, garden vegetables, wild strawberries, and woody plants.
This species has the most extensive distribution in its genus. The Eastern cottontail rabbit inhabits temperate and tropical forests.
What Do Bunyoro Rabbits Eat?
| Animalia | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Poelagus | Poelagus marjorita |
Bunyoro rabbits feed on tubers, grasses, shrubs, and forbs.
The Bunyoro rabbit is classified under the genus Poelagus. It is an African species, with a majority of them being found in Uganda. Its distribution is evidenced in Angola and as far as Sudan. It inhabits savannah and scrublands.
How do Wild Rabbits Hunt?
Wild rabbits are herbivores, meaning their diet chiefly comprises of plants, and so they do not hunt for prey.
When Do Wild Rabbits Eat?
Rabbits are considered to be crepuscular, meaning they tend to be active at dusk and dawn. They will be found eating between dusk and dawn.
How Often Do Wild Rabbits Eat?
Rabbits tend to eat very heavily in the first hour of their grazing period, which is often in the late afternoons. They then do selective feeding in the next half an hour. If there are no threats, they will tend to eat at intervals within a considerable number of hours.
What Eats Wild Rabbits?
Numerous animals feed on wild rabbits and thus present a constant threat to these small mammals. Some of the natural enemies that consume wild rabbits include ground squirrels, falcons, weasels, wild dogs, birds of prey, owls, and hawks. Other rabbit predators include foxes, weasels, and coyotes.
Where do Wild Rabbits fit in the Animal Food Chain?
Rabbits are essential to the animal food chain because they are a significant food source to a wide array of animals, which include owls, hawks, and foxes.
Cite This Page
Key References
- Collins, K., Ahlman, V., Matthee, C., Taylor, P., Keith, M. & Van Jaarsveld, A. (South Africa CAMP Workshop, March 2002) 2003. Bunolagus monticularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2003: e.T3326A9764709. Downloaded on 26 June 2019.
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