Since rabbits were domesticated relatively recently and in an identifiable location (1,400 years ago in southern France), they make ideal candidates for genetic research.
How wild is a pet rabbit?
Scientists from Uppsala University, Sweden, have explored the differences between tame rabbits and their wild genetic neighbours by sequencing the genome of a domestic individual and comparing it with that of its wild cousins.
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The researchers discovered that domestication is a result of many small changes in the brain and nervous system, rather than specific domestication genes. A key change is reduction in flight response – pet rabbits face fewer threats.
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They also found that tame rabbits rarely completely lose their wild genes, which suggests they could become ‘genetically wild’ again if released.
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Domestic rabbit © Richard Southon
