Rabbit (Animal)

This book gives a comprehensive history of the rabbit in this country. The rabbit has a curious and unique relationship with people, it is seen as an agricultural pest and yet is farmed for meat, wool and fur. It is kept as a pet and show animal but is eaten both from farmed sources and shot in the wild. The book throws up some interesting facts - the Nazis kept large numbers of Angora rabbits for their wool. There are a lot of photographs showing rabbits throughout history and in recent times.Some of the facts are quite hard to read - in many parts of the world rabbits are farmed for meat - they are fairly cheap to produce and can provide a lot of meat in a short time, but are often kept in terrible conditions and slaughtered in horrific circumstances. One photo shows a number of rabbits hopping around in a yard behind a restaurant in Japan. No prizes for guessing their fate!Overall I found it an interesting read.

I never realized the rabbit has had so many challenges through the ages, nor how the rabbit was exploited by Europeans. It really has turned out to be a much more sad story than anticipated. That being said, I am glad to have learned far more about our furry little friends than ever imagined!

An excellent book for all rabbit lovers