- New Zealand red rabbit
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New Zealand red rabbit
New Zealand red rabbits is a rabbit breed, which despite the name, is American in origin. New Zealand rabbits are available in three ARBA-recognized colors: white, red, and black. Its weight is 4–5 kg.
The Czech Red Rabbit is a rabbit breed that has descended from the New Zealand Red.
The New Zealand red rabbit became known as an ecological nightmare after it was introduced to Santa Barbara Island, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of California.[1] The first rabbits were placed on the island in 1915.[2] By 1970 it and its cousin the Belgian Hare had helped bring a rare plant to the brink of extinction. When the Santa Barbara Island live-forever (Dudleya traskiae), a succulent plant, was feared extinct, the decision was made to remove the rabbits and hares, voracious herbivores, from the island. They are now absent, and the endangered plant is recovering.[2]
References
- ^ Rolston, H. Respect for Life. pg 261. In: Dale Jamieson, ed., Singer and His Critics (Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, 1999), Pages 247-268.
- ^ a b USFWS. Dudleya traskiae Five-year Review. January 2008.
Categories: Lagomorph stubs | Rabbit breeds | Rabbit breeds originating in the United States
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