*************************************************************
Rabbit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article or section does not cite its references or sources.
You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.
For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation).
iRabbit
Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genera
Pentalagus
Bunolagus
Nesolagus
Romerolagus
Brachylagus
Sylvilagus
Oryctolagus
Poelagus
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in many parts of the world. There are seven different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cottontail rabbits (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, an endangered species on Amami Oshima, Japan). There are many other species of rabbit, and these, along with cottontails, pikas and hares make up the Order Lagomorpha. Rabbits generally live for about 4-10 years.
Contents [hide]
1 Differences from hares
2 Humans' relationship with rabbits
3 Domestic rabbits
4 Environmental problems with rabbits
5 Classification
6 Rabbits in culture and literature
7 Naming
8 See also
9 External links
[edit] Differences from hares
Main article: Hare
Rabbits are clearly distinguished from hares in that rabbits are altricial, having young that are born blind and hairless; all rabbits, except the cottontail rabbit, live underground in burrows or warrens. Hares are generally bigger, have longer ears and have black markings on their fur. They also live in simple nests above the ground, just as the cottontail rabbit does, and usually do not live together in groups.
[edit] Humans' relationship with rabbits
Humans' relationship with the European or ‘true’ rabbit was first recorded by the Phoenicians over 1,000 years BC, when they termed the Iberian Peninsula i-shfaním (literally, "the land of the hyraxes"). This phrase is pronounced absolutely identically in modern Hebrew, i (אי) meaning "island" and shafan (שפן) meaning "hyrax", shfaním (שפנים) being the plural form. Phoenicians called the local rabbits "hyraxes" because hyraxes resemble rabbits in some way, and probably were more common than rabbits at that time in their native Levant. Hyraxes, like rabbits, are not rodents. The Romans converted the phrase i-shfaním to its Latin form, Hispania, and hence the modern word "Spain".
The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the only species of rabbit to be domesticated. All pet breeds of rabbits - such as dwarf lops, angoras, etc. - are of this species. However, rabbits and people interact in many different ways beyond domestication. Rabbits are an example of an animal which is treated as food, pet and pest by the same culture.
When used for food, rabbits are both hunted and raised for meat. Snares or guns along with dogs are usually employed when catching wild rabbits for food. In many areas rabbits are also raised for meat, a practice called cuniculture. Rabbits can then be killed by hitting the back of their heads, a practice that lends its name to the "rabbit punch". Rabbit pelts are sometimes used as part of accessories, such as scarves or hats. Rabbits are also very good producers of manure; their urine, being high in nitrogen, makes lemon trees very productive. Their milk may also be of great medicinal (see links below) or nutritional benefit due to its high protein content.
There are a number of health issues associated with the use of rabbits for meat, one of which is Tularemia or Rabbit Fever. Another is so-called rabbit starvation, due most likely to essential amino acid deficiencies in rabbit meat and synthesis limitations in human beings.
"Altered rabbit milk can help cure disease" by David Pesci
"Rabbit milk saves babies", BBC News, 28 July 2000
"Human acid alpha-glucosidase from rabbit milk has therapeutic effect in mice with glycogen storage disease type II"
Home 
Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:27 pm