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European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Mammal · family Leporidae · order Lagomorpha

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

European Rabbit
Photo: JJ Harrison, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Longest recorded life
13 years[3]

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a plant-eating mammal in the rabbit and hare family[4]. NatureServe lists it as introduced, not native, in five US states, and it is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[5][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the European Rabbit a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[6]. The two sit side by side in the data, so read them as separate ratings. In the United States, the animal is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. Not being listed does not say how any local group is doing.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Endangered

Where European Rabbit lives

NatureServe records the European Rabbit as introduced, which means people brought it in and it is not native, in Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey and Washington[5]. All 5 of those states carry a state rank of SNA, which means not applicable because the animal is not native there[7]. GBIF observers have reported it most often in Washington, California, Oregon, Alaska and Florida[8]. Those counts follow where people look and report, not how many rabbits live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: introduced, state rank SNAMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: introduced, state rank SNAMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: introduced, state rank SNANJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: introduced, state rank SNANEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (5 states)
StateRankMeaning
MassachusettsSNANot Applicable
MontanaSNANot Applicable
NebraskaSNANot Applicable
New JerseySNANot Applicable
WashingtonSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe lists shrubland, grassland, old fields and cropland with hedgerows as habitat for this rabbit[9]. It is mainly found in short grass, farm pastures and scrubby areas[10]. It digs large systems of burrows, and the young are born underground in nests lined with plants and the mother's belly fur[10].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[9]

Size, diet and lifespan

The European Rabbit is a herbivore, so it eats plants[11]. Its diet is mostly grasses and other soft plants, and it may also nibble the bark and twigs of trees and shrubs, as well as farm crops[12]. NatureServe records a typical length of 60 cm (24 in)[13]. Its typical adult weight is about 5 lb[14]. Mating peaks from January to June, and gestation lasts 28 to 33 days[15]. A female gives birth to 3 to 9 young and may have as many as 6 litters per year[15]. The longest recorded lifespan is 13 years in captivity, which is a record and not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Typical length[13] 60 cm (24 in)
Typical adult weight[14] 2.3 kg (5 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 13 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[16] 5
Gestation or incubation[17] 30 days
Female maturity[18] 730 days (about 2.0 years)
Food habits[11] Herbivore
Active[19] nocturnal
Migration[20] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[21]

  • 100% other plant material

When to look for it

NatureServe says the European Rabbit is active throughout the year, and it is a non-migrant, though populations can differ[22][20]. It is nocturnal and crepuscular, which means it is active at night and around dawn and dusk[23]. On GBIF, most United States records fall in July, August and September[24]. Those records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].

January: 107 recordsJanFebruary: 99 recordsFebMarch: 160 recordsMarApril: 210 recordsAprMay: 214 recordsMayJune: 213 recordsJunJuly: 239 recordsJulAugust: 257 recordsAugSeptember: 221 recordsSepOctober: 140 recordsOctNovember: 130 recordsNovDecember: 125 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January107
February99
March160
April210
May214
June213
July239
August257
September221
October140
November130
December125

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record European Rabbit as present in 4 park units[25]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Washington, California, Oregon, Alaska, Florida[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the European Rabbit endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure, while the IUCN category it records is Endangered[2][6].
Where does the European Rabbit live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as introduced in Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey and Washington[5]. It is not native to the US[5].
What does the European Rabbit eat?
It is a herbivore that mostly eats grasses and other soft plants[11][12]. It may also eat bark, twigs and farm crops[12].
How big is a European Rabbit?
NatureServe records a typical length of 60 cm (24 in)[13]. Its typical adult weight is about 5 lb[14].
How long does a European Rabbit live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 13 years in captivity[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Facts and sources

  1. European Rabbit is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for European Rabbit: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 13 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a mammal in the family Leporidae, order Lagomorpha. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe lists European Rabbit as introduced (not native) in: Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Endangered. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for European Rabbit (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of European Rabbit: Washington, California, Oregon, Alaska, Florida. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. Habitat types NatureServe records for European Rabbit: Shrubland/chaparral, Grassland/herbaceous, Old field, Cropland/hedgerow. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on habitat for European Rabbit. NatureServe Explorer
  11. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on food for European Rabbit. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 60 cm (24 in). NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 2.3 kg (5 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on reproduction for European Rabbit. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 5. AnAge
  17. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 30 days. AnAge
  18. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 730 days (about 2.0 years). AnAge
  19. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  20. NatureServe migration category for European Rabbit: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  21. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe notes on phenology for European Rabbit. NatureServe Explorer
  23. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  24. GBIF observation records of European Rabbit in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  25. NPSpecies park lists recording European Rabbit as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: JJ Harrison, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.