Wild Rabbit Conservation and Disease

Wild rabbit populations in Britain are facing a dual disease crisis from myxomatosis and RHDV2, with welfare and ecosystem implications for a keystone prey species.

Key Facts

UK wild rabbit populations have declined by 60% since the 1950s from disease and habitat changes
Myxomatosis and RHDV2 together kill up to 90% of infected rabbits
Rabbits are a keystone species maintaining short turf ecosystems through grazing
Over 40 UK species depend on rabbits as prey or use rabbit-maintained habitats
Natural recovery between disease outbreaks is increasingly limited by habitat fragmentation

Welfare Considerations

Wild rabbit disease welfare involves both the suffering of individual infected animals and the population-level welfare consequences for predator species that depend on them. Myxomatosis causes prolonged suffering over 10-14 days; RHDV2 kills within 36 hours but causes organ failure. The ecosystem welfare consequences of rabbit decline are far-reaching: kestrels, stoats, polecats, and buzzards all face nutritional stress when rabbit numbers collapse. Maintaining rabbit population health has cascading welfare benefits for many species.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate domestic rabbits against both myxomatosis and RHDV2 annually
Support grassland management that maintains rabbit habitat connectivity
Advocate for predator management in rabbit conservation areas to reduce disease spread
Donate to Wildlife Trusts working on habitat management for rabbit recovery
Learn about rabbit ecology and welfare to engage in land management discussions