Rabbit Facts
A rabbit is a small plant-eating mammal of the family Leporidae, kept around the world as wild prey, livestock and a pet, with big ears and wide vision for spotting danger.
- Class
- Mammal
About the rabbit
Two genera cover most rabbits. Oryctolagus includes the European rabbit, ancestor of hundreds of domestic breeds, which has been brought to every continent but Antarctica. Sylvilagus holds over 13 wild species, among them the cottontails. A few rarer kinds, like the volcano rabbit, the pygmy rabbit and the Sumatran striped rabbit, sit outside both groups.
Rabbits were once lumped in with rodents, but their branch split off earlier, and they have two extra incisors that rodents lack. As prey animals, they stay alert at all times, scanning with a wide field of view and large ears that pick up predators. Those ears also help control body heat. Some rabbits live alone and others in groups, sheltering in nests or burrows.
Did you know?
- Hares belong to the same family as rabbits but are not counted as rabbits.
- Rabbits and rodents share a common ancestor and sit together in a group called Glires.
- Pikas are also lagomorphs, placing them in the same order as rabbits.
Questions about the rabbit
Are rabbits rodents?
No. Rabbits are lagomorphs, which split from rodents earlier and have two extra incisors.
Where do rabbits live?
Rabbits live worldwide. People have brought the European rabbit to every continent but Antarctica.
Sources
- Wikidata Q9394, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Rabbit, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.