Small Mammals

Rabbit Viral Hemorrhagic Disease and Wild Populations

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus causes mass mortality events in wild and domestic rabbit populations, raising welfare concerns about both individual suffering and ecosystem impacts.

Key Facts

RHDV2 causes hemorrhagic fever with death occurring within 24 to 72 hours of infection
The virus has spread to wild rabbit populations in North America since 2020
In some regions wild rabbit die-offs exceeded 90 percent of local populations
Domestic rabbits can be vaccinated against RHDV2 with a vaccine available in many countries

Welfare Considerations

RHDV2 causes a rapid and painful death from internal hemorrhage and organ failure. Mass mortality events in wild rabbit populations remove a critical prey species from ecosystems that support hawks eagles foxes and many other predators. For domestic rabbits preventive vaccination is available and should be considered standard care in regions where the virus is present.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate domestic rabbits against RHDV2 where vaccines are available
Never release domestic rabbits into wild areas where they may spread disease
Support wildlife monitoring programs tracking RHDV2 spread in wild rabbit populations
Learn about ecosystem consequences of mass rabbit die-offs in your region