Black Rabbit family

[snake]

It is not that unusual to see the odd black rabbit on my patch. This morning I came across an earth with six sitting outside. I have never seen so many on one earth. Nice to see.

[vole-woman]

Aw. What causes it, a genetic mutation? Or is it fancy rabbits getting out and breeding with wild ones?

[Rob_D]

Do you think they're all related Snake? I counted 6 in one local spot - out of 100+, but they weren't sitting together, so I assumed they were all strangers

There must be something inheritable about that trait right?

[bobbarber]

I have a discontinued gravel pit on my land which is quite overgrown. 30years ago all the rabbits were black in the pit. over recent years they have all disappeared and have been replaced by greys. I am surrounded by farmland which is ploughed now for crops, whereas previously it held cattle. I can only think that the blacks disappeared because they were more conspicuous in a grey ploughed field and open to predation. So perhaps it is genetic as suggested...Bob

[snowdrop]

There's a family of black rabbits living not far from Southport station. They've been there for many years to my knowledge. What puzzles me is why they spend so much time on the tracks.

[snake]

I am not totally sure but I think it is genetic. At this time of the year, especially before the onset of myxomatosis, there are many thousands of rabbits on my patch, spread over hundreds of earths.
I come across the odd black rabbit hopping about amongst the normal ones but given the number of rabbits in my area, they are really quite rare.
The six I came across this morning were all on a small earth so I suspect they are all from the same nest.

[salukiwhippet]

It's a genetic mutation. All sorts of colours are out there, I suspect some are crosses with domestics, but black ones are found miles from anywhere. I suppose a species and prolific as the rabbit has a higher chance of throwing odd colours than something that breeds more slowly. I've encountered black ones, ginger ones, quite a lot of brown and white, and even a litter of steel blue youngsters - never saw a blue adult though.

James

[Eppingkeeper]

I think that it is genetic but usually goes back to a release of domestic rabbits somewhere down the line. In rabbits the gene that produces the colour black is recessive (not always the case - in Labrador dogs for example it is dominant). Therefore to produce black kits then both parents must carry the gene (although they may not be black themselves).