Seasonal habitat use by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a coastal dune system in SW Spain

Abstract

Seasonal habitat use by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a coastal dune system in SW Spain.— We studied habitat use by the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a coastal sand dune system in the south-western Iberian peninsula. Our goals were to define the use of this habitat by rabbits in relation to food and shelter availability between seasons. Rabbit density, food availability and refuge abundance were analysed using multiple regression analyses. We found that, independently of season, habitat selection was principally related to cover by the woody shrub Retama monosperma which rabbits use both as a food resource and as protection against predators. Although it is an invasive native plant, the benefits that R. monosperma provides to the wild rabbit population should be taken into account when deciding wild rabbit management strategies.