Wild rabbits are adaptable but declining in many of their native ranges. Urban populations face unique hazards, while rural populations face both persecution and disease.
Wild rabbit welfare is affected by disease, predation, persecution, and anthropogenic hazards. Myxomatosis, while endemic in many populations, causes severe suffering in affected individuals: the disease progresses over days to weeks, causing blindness, skin tumours, and respiratory distress before death. Individuals found with obvious myxomatosis face a welfare dilemma — most cannot be successfully treated and humane euthanasia may be the most welfare-positive intervention. Urban rabbits that become habituated to human presence may lose appropriate fear responses, making them more vulnerable to predators and traffic. Feeding wild rabbits, while well-intentioned, can create dependencies and attract predators to urban green spaces.