Field signs
Presence of rabbits is shown by burrows, very close cropped grass, and latrine areas on bare ground with large numbers of small spherical droppings. Burrows are usually taller than wide, but this is not always the case and some may be very large and might be confused with those made by badgers or foxes. There may also be signs of recent excavation showing large mounds of earth or sand, where the rabbit has kicked the soil back with its hind legs. A narrow channel can often be seen leading to the burrow entrance.
Habits
Whilst rabbits tend to be more active at night they can easily be seen feeding at dusk or dawn. The preferred habitat is short grassland, most typically farmland along the margins of pastures, with burrows formed beneath hedgerows and in set-aside land. Even where the soil might be regarded as unsuitable, as on soft sand dunes, rabbits will dig burrows as soon as vegetation growth provides more stable ground conditions. Similarly, overgrown concrete floors and roads on brownfield sites provide for safe and dry burrowing at the margins. Runways beneath brambles and scrub provide well-used escape routes to burrows. Where ground conditions are especially favourable, e.g. the chalk and flint soils of the North Downs, extensive and ancient systems of burrows can be found such as those at Queendown Warren.
Reproduction and life cycle
Prolific breeding occurs mainly between January and August, with a succession of litters of three to seven young produced at a minimum interval of 30 days. Breeding nests are lined with grass or moss and belly fur. Rabbits are highly gregarious and dominant females have the longest breeding seasons. The female suckles her babies (kits) for a few minutes just once during the night. The young develop rapidly and are seen at the entrance of the burrow after about 18 days.
Distribution, status and conservation
Rabbits were once widespread throughout Kent with the exception of town centres and suburban housing estates. There are some small rural areas without rabbits in the county but the reasons are not always clear. Rabbit-proof fencing and walls surrounding parkland may provide a visible clue. Rabbits can cause extensive damage to farm crops and are often controlled with a range of culling methods used.
Since ~2014–2020, nationwide rabbit numbers have crashed (up to 60% decline or more in some regions) due to RHDV2 (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus 2) and longstanding myxomatosis. The Mammal Society (2020 review) lists the rabbit as Near Threatened in Britain due to population collapse.
