The term “bunny” affectionately refers to the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). This species is well-known globally, found across various continents and habitats. Its widespread presence today prompts curiosity about its beginnings and how it came to inhabit so many diverse regions.
Clarifying the “Bunny”: Rabbits vs. Hares
Though often used interchangeably, “rabbit” and “hare” are distinct groups within the Leporidae family. Hares are larger, with longer ears and legs designed for speed in open environments, building simple nests above ground. Their young, called leverets, are born precocial: fully furred, with open eyes, and able to move shortly after birth.
Rabbits are smaller, with shorter ears and legs suited for navigating burrows and dense vegetation. Their young, kits or kittens, are altricial: born blind, hairless, and helpless, requiring the shelter of an underground burrow. The European rabbit exhibits these altricial traits and burrowing behaviors. All domestic rabbit breeds originate from the European rabbit, the species commonly called a “bunny.”
The Cradle of Rabbits: The Iberian Peninsula
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) originated in the Iberian Peninsula, encompassing modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and southwestern France. Fossil records suggest the oldest known remains appeared in southern Spain during the Middle Pleistocene. This region provided suitable conditions, with soft, sandy soils ideal for digging extensive tunnel systems known as warrens.
Genetic studies confirm this origin, revealing all European rabbits carry common genetic markers and descend from two maternal lines that diverged millions of years ago within the Iberian Peninsula. Two extant subspecies, O. c. algirus and O. c. cuniculus, are native to this area, occupying the southwestern and northeastern parts, respectively. Neanderthals and early modern humans hunted rabbits in this region for food and fur during the Late Pleistocene.
Tracing Ancestry: The Evolutionary Journey
Rabbits, hares, and pikas belong to the order Lagomorpha, a distinct mammalian group. Though superficially similar, lagomorphs possess continuously growing incisor teeth, including a smaller second pair directly behind the main upper incisors—a feature absent in rodents. Earliest lagomorph fossil records trace back to the Paleocene Epoch (65 to 54.8 million years ago), suggesting an Asian origin.
The family Leporidae first appeared in the late Eocene epoch, around 40 million years ago. This group rapidly diversified and spread across the Northern Hemisphere. The evolutionary path to the modern European rabbit involved gradual adaptation to various habitats, culminating in its current burrowing, social characteristics.
From Wild Burrows to Global Presence: The Spread of Rabbits
From their Iberian homeland, European rabbits began a global expansion, primarily facilitated by human activity. The Romans played a significant role, introducing rabbits to parts of their empire for food and sport. These introductions helped establish populations beyond their native range.
Domestication of the European rabbit began later, around the 5th to 12th centuries AD, often attributed to medieval monks in southern France. Monasteries bred rabbits, which encouraged their propagation. This domestication led to the development of various breeds and further facilitated their spread. Later colonization efforts introduced rabbits to new continents, including Australia and New Zealand, where they often became invasive due to a lack of natural predators. Today, the European rabbit, in both wild and domesticated forms, exists on every continent except Antarctica.