A study of the biology of the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), in confined populations. I. The effects of density on home range and the formation of breeding grounds

Abstract

Adult rabbits in confined populations inhabit a well-defined home range within which they rest, feed, and breed. The average area of home range becomes smaller as rabbit numbers increase, and the home ranges of adult females are smaller than those of adult males. Rabbits form small groups during the breeding season, usually consisting of two or three males and several females. A strict dominance-hierarchy is established among the males. The more dominant males roam over larger areas than their subordinates and eject foreign males, thus exhibiting territorial behaviour.