Farmers in Spain are protesting against the “hybrid rabbit”, a cross between domestic and wild rabbit species, which they claim is devastating crops and displacing native rabbits and hares. Protesters accuse the government of deliberately releasing the animal to repopulate endangered species, which has caused harm to the native rabbit and hare populations. The hybrids are larger, more voracious, have more offspring per litter and double the number of litters per year. Farmers have demanded a temporary hunting emergency declaration, a study to clarify when and how the rabbit appeared, and a ban on releasing domestic rabbits into populations of native rabbits. But before we get to the invasive hybrid rabbits in Spain lets have a look at the endemic ones!
Endemic wild rabbits
The Iberian Peninsula is the only region in the world where the two existing sub-species of the European rabbit naturally occur and hybridize. These are Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit) and Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus (Algerian rabbit).
A study back in 2014 showed that the Algerian rabbit occupies the south of the peninsular and the European the north. Where their territories overlap, roughly in the centre of the iberian peninsular, they can and do hybridise but very often the offspring are infertile. You can read the full study here.
Read about the endemic rabbit in Spain here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/the-iberian-rabbit/
These endemic species and hybrids should not be confused with hybrids between domestic and wild Spanish rabbits.
Follow and join in with the conversation about rabbits in Spain at the Iberia Nature Forum: https://iberianatureforum.com/forums/topic/the-iberian-rabbit/
Do hybrids between domestic and wild rabbits really exist in Spain?
Certainly, there will always be a few domestic escapees and isolated hybridisation but this news from Castilla -La Mancha is quite astonishing!
NEWS UPDATE April 2023…… “After studying over 70 populations throughout the peninsula and collecting samples from more than 1,700 rabbits, ‘only two turned out to be hybrids with domestic rabbits.’ While farming associations speak of a ‘hybrid rabbit plague,’ experts claim that they are wild rabbits.” Article in Spanish here: https://www.niusdiario.es/espana/andalucia/20230404/opinion-expertos-plaga-conejos-monte-hibridos-estragos-campo_18_09180477.html
Some of the farming community of Castilla-La Mancha and the Platform of “Damaged by the Rabbit Plague” (Plataforma de Damnificados por la Plaga de Conejos) took to the streets in March 2023 in protest. They were demanding that the Government of Castilla-La Mancha declare a plague due to the invasion of hybrid rabbits that are, they claim, devastating the crops in the region. In total, about 2,000 farmers from various points in the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, and Toledo participated in the protests.
What is the hybrid rabbit supposed to be like?
The hybrid rabbit is a cross between the domestic and wild rabbit species. Unlike its predecessors, this rabbit is larger and known for its voracity. It now resides in crops rather than in the mountains.
Protesters have accused the government of deliberately releasing this animal with the aim of repopulating endangered species. Meanwhile, farmers claim that the hybrid rabbit has litters that multiply the number of offspring, going from 3 or 4 to 7 or 8 offspring. They also reproduce more frequently than native rabbits with double the number of litters per year. Additionally, this type of rabbit is larger and heavier than the native rabbit, and has displaced them from their habitats.
Due to these factors, farmers have labeled the hybrid rabbit as an invader and insist that it has caused harm to the native rabbit and hare populations.
Farmers have directly blamed the Spanish goverment as they believe that it has been “deliberately released” to repopulate endangered species such as the Iberian lynx or the imperial eagle. The result of these releases, they complain, is that the rabbit no longer lives in the “wild” but amongst crops. “We do not want the lynx or the eagle to disappear either, but we do want the previous balance to be restored,” they say.
What damage has the hybrid rabbit caused?
The spokesperson for the Platform protesting, Florentino de Mora, has stated that, according to insurance data, taking into account that the contracted surface area is about 20%, “we could say that the plague is affecting around 80,000 hectares of woody plants with losses of over 50 million euros.”
These hybrid rabbits often gnaw at the trunks of grape vines, which results in death of the plant. The same thing is also happening in almond and pistachio plantations.
What are the demands of the protesters?
- A temporary hunting emergency declaration increasing from 80 to 300 municipalities due to rabbit damage allowing the authorization of hunting in all its forms and without a time limit.
- A study to be carried out that clarifies when, how, and why this harmful rabbit has appeared.
- They also propose other additional solutions to hunting can be considered, such as gasification, “which is already being used in other autonomous communities,” according to Andrés García Vaquero, president of the Union of Unions of Castilla-La Mancha, although they leave it up to the public administrations to take the measures they deem appropriate but effective.
- Government administrations to be obligated to fence and maintain rabbit-proof fences in the areas of protected natural spaces to stop the spread of the hybrids into farmland.
- A complete ban on the release of domestic rabbits within populations of native rabbit.
Whats really odd here is that there is no information about who has actually released these “hybrid” rabbits into the wild. Presumably someone should be asking the administrations responsible for the apex predator reintroduction projects for the lynx and imperial eagle?
To be honest, even if it turns out to be true, this sounds a bit like the wild boar overpopulation issue that could be easily cured by putting them on the menu in every restaurant in Spain!
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Hybrid Rabbits in Spain: Fact or Fiction?
Not long ago there was a been a buzz about a supposed plague of “hybrid rabbits” decimating Spanish crops. These rabbits, a mix of wild and domestic breeds, are causing extensive damage in various regions of Spain. Their larger size, higher reproductive capacity, increased voracity, and atypical behaviors for the species are blamed for the severe agricultural losses.
However, this narrative does not align with reality. Firstly, it’s important to clarify that the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), a native species to the Iberian Peninsula, serves as the basis for all domestic rabbit varieties. Thus, wild and domestic rabbits belong to the same species.
While it is true that certain wild rabbit populations may exhibit “domestic” traits, potentially due to the release of rabbits with questionable genetics during hunting repopulation efforts, such instances are minimal. The so-called “exceptional capabilities” attributed to hybrid rabbits are actually inherent in wild rabbits.
But if the damaging rabbits are native, how can a native species become a plague?
The imbalance within rabbit populations stems from three key factors: a scarcity of natural food sources, a lack of predation (both natural and through hunting), and a reduction in disease impact.
Linear structures like roads and train tracks, coupled with soft soil facilitating burrowing, further contribute to the situation.
The primary cause of the damage lies in the scarcity of natural food.
A study conducted in vineyards of Córdoba revealed that rabbit damage is influenced by the availability of natural food, specifically the diversity and abundance of herbaceous plants. Damage to crops is significantly higher in areas where natural food is scarce, leading rabbits to resort to feeding on crops. This phenomenon may have been exacerbated this year due to drought conditions.
This interaction between rabbit density and the availability of natural food is far from trivial. Even a small number of rabbits, without alternative food sources, can inflict severe damage to crops. Vineyards, being particularly susceptible to herbivory, suffer substantial losses when rabbits feed on the shoots that give rise to grape clusters.
It is worth noting that the rabbit abundances observed in most affected areas are not as high as in regions without sensitive crops, thereby avoiding conflicts.
Ironically, damage can be mitigated by increasing the availability of natural food. Strategies like allowing vegetation growth between rows of woody crops and maintaining vegetation in uncultivated areas (such as boundaries, slopes, streams, and road edges) prove effective in enhancing food availability.
The absence of predators, such as foxes, and reduced predator diversity and abundance in certain altered landscapes like agricultural areas contribute to the local surge in rabbit populations.
Moreover, the impact of diseases on rabbit populations has diminished over time. Diseases like myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic fever, which were once rampant, have become endemic, reducing their virulence. Consequently, rabbits have developed some resistance, resulting in a decreased negative effect on their populations. In areas with higher rabbit abundances, there is a higher prevalence of antibodies against these diseases.
In conclusion, it is the ecosystem’s dysfunction, not hybridization, that lies at the root of the damage caused by rabbits.
Spreading baseless information maligns rabbits, creating an atmosphere of tension and confusion, which can lead to false accusations and unwarranted actions against this species, which plays a crucial role in the ecosystem.
Join in with the discussion at the Iberia Nature Forum: https://iberianatureforum.com/forums/topic/the-iberian-rabbit/