The Private Life of the Rabbit
by R. M. Lockley, copyright 1964
Wild rabbits are a fascinating study, and there is no better place to begin its study than R. M. Lockley’s The Private Life of the Rabbit. Lockley raised rabbits as a child, then as an adult bought an island for the purpose of raising wild rabbits commercially. He state s in the beginning of the book how wild rabbits are so human, and then goes on to prove it scientifically.
Ronald Mathias Lockley (Nov 8, 1903-April 12,200) was a Welch naturalist who authored over 50 books, collaborating with such luminaries as Sir Julian Huxley. He was the first to scientifically study the wild European rabbit, from which all our domesticated rabbits have been bred. Lockey explains how he and his team were hired by the English government from 1954-1959 because of the devastating effects of the myxomatosis epidemic that had killed 99% of the wild rabbits of Europe and Great Britain during the early 1950’s. The reading of his account of the epidemic’s effect on rabbits by any rabbit lover will leave them heartbroken.
What Lockley and his team did was create an artificial warren on his estate so they could observe the behavior of wild rabbits underground, something never b
efore done (wild rabbits live ½ their lives in burrows). They designed a one inch thick glass plate, eight feet wide and four feet high for their observation. During daylight hours they kept watch using telescopes from hide-outs in the nearby trees (1300 hours worth). Diagrams of the estate and artificial warren are provided in the book.
As you read about the different sections of the estate and the warrens it gets a bit confusing, but the rabbits studied are given personal names which helps the process. The main ’stars” are Big Boss, Beatrix, Benjamin (who becomes Bold Benjamin), Beautiful and many others. They are all tagged and ears tattooed for the experiment. The tunnels they constructed were able to be opened and closed to control movement and placement. Being a scientist, Lockley is no sentimentalist, but at times he finds he has to cross the line because the rabbits can be so human in their emotions and moods.
Lockley began with two bucks and one doe (the other fourteen he tried to bring to the island died in route). His work has taught the world so much about wild rabbits. It was the inspiration for Richard Adams classic story Watership Down. In fact, in the 1974 edition the Introduction was written by Adams, praising the book as a great work of natural history.
Here are some of the facts you will learn about wild rabbits in Lockley’s book:
Wild rabbits are gregarious, but only sociable during the neutral season when no breeding is taking place.
July-September is molt season; more sociable and less pregnancies.
The dominant buck is king, and his mate is Queen, and their children are royalty.
The doe decides where the home will be, and is the one who does all the digging of the burrows.