Social behaviour of an experimental colony of wild rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) I. Establishment of the colony

Abstract

The social and territorial behaviour of a small colony of wild rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), all individually marked, was studied from the time of their introduction into a 12-acre enclosure until the commencement of breeding. The animals' resting places were recorded daily, and observations of their activity and mutual reactions were made during frequent evening and night watches. Rigid linear ranking orders among males and females were established and maintained within the colony, bucks dominating bucks and does dominating does. The top-ranking buck, in effect, controlled the group; and his behaviour was characterized by a greater range of movement and an aggressive alertness. Once stabilized, the order of dominance was maintained and demonstrated by aggressive chasing and submissive retreat, fighting being of rare occurrence. Rabbits newly introduced to the colony were greeted with hostility by all members, and attacked by the dominant individuals: as a result some failed to establish themselves. When experimentally interfered with, the linear hierarchy was quickly re-established. Removal of the top-ranking buck evoked serious disturbance among the male members of the colony. Each strove to improve his status, but the second-ranking male always retained his dominance. When the original leader was returned to the colony, if he succeeded in re-establishing himself it was only after vicious and prolonged fighting, the loser of the combat being degraded to the lowest rank. Comparable disturbance and struggles did not take place among the females when the dominant doe was removed from, and returned to, the colony. The two artificial warrens provided within the enclosure became the recognized territory of the dominant pair, and most of the other members of the colony were vigorously excluded from them. The subordinate individuals restricted their activities to certain areas but did not prevent other rabbits from invading them.