Rabbits can breed for the first time at the age of three months. They have a gestation period of about 31 days and there can be anywhere from 4 to 12 young in each litter. What would be the most likely long-term consequence if a breeding pair of rabbits were released into an ecosystem with no predators large enough to eat a rabbit?

Question

Blaine Mitchell

Biology

25 March, 14:59

Rabbits can breed for the first time at the age of three months. They have a gestation period of about 31 days and there can be anywhere from 4 to 12 young in each litter. What would be the most likely long-term consequence if a breeding pair of rabbits were released into an ecosystem with no predators large enough to eat a rabbit?

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Answers (2)

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Summer Alvarez · Answer 1

They would most likely overpopulate. That sounds like a good thing, but if that happens they would exhaust their food supply way to quickly and they would starve to death. This is why they need a predator, to balance the ecosystem

Helena Huff · Answer 2

The rabbit population would grow quickly until all the edible vegetation was gone and then the rabbit population would crash.