Wildlife

Wild Rabbit Conservation Welfare

European wild rabbit populations have collapsed across their range, with welfare implications for individual rabbits and dependent predators.

Key Facts

European rabbit populations have declined 95% in their Iberian homeland since the 1950s
Myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease kill millions of rabbits annually
Rabbits are keystone prey for Iberian lynx, Spanish imperial eagle, and many other species
Translocation programs for disease-resistant rabbits aim to restore populations
Individual rabbits dying from myxomatosis suffer prolonged painful deaths

Welfare Considerations

Wild rabbit welfare encompasses individual suffering from disease and the cascading welfare impacts of population collapse on dependent predator species. Myxomatosis causes progressive blindness, respiratory failure, and death over days to weeks in affected rabbits. Disease-resistant population restoration serves both individual welfare and ecosystem recovery.

What You Can Do

Support wild rabbit conservation and disease research programs
Donate to Iberian lynx and Spanish imperial eagle conservation
Engage with wild rabbit welfare as a multi-species welfare and conservation issue
Avoid introducing domestic rabbits to areas where they would compete with wild populations
Support research on rabbit disease resistance and population recovery