Rabbits are small mammals with fluffy hair and bushy tails. They can be found in almost every country on the planet and are similar to other Lagomorpha species, such as hares and pikas. Fossils found by archaeologists in the 20th century suggest that rabbits evolved in Asia around 40 million years ago. There are different breeds of rabbits in Australia, Africa, and other continents.
The most popular domesticated rabbits are the wild European rabbits. They initially evolved 4,000 years ago on the Iberian Peninsula, now Spain. Back then, Romans arrived on the land and began breeding them for their meat and fur. As civilization grew, so did trade, and Europeans introduced the rabbit business to more countries. Rabbits adapted regardless of the weather temperatures and, with their rapid reproduction rates, thrived in numbers.
Rabbits were said to be domesticated in the fifth century by monks in France, who kept them as a source of ready food. In time, they started selecting them according to size and color to retain specific traits. By the 19th century, there were a variety of breeds due to selective breeding, which led to breeding them for shows. Children began to form sentimental attachments to them, and people realized how sensitive and delicate these creatures were.
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