Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: blakestyger on 21/07/2008 22:21:19

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: blakestyger on 21/07/2008 22:21:19

Last Friday I saw a black rabbit amongst some wild ones of the usual colour scheme. It was near a village so I thought it may be an escaped pet gone feral. Then this evening I saw two more (young ones) by the roadside with some more 'usual' wild rabbits - eleven miles from the first sighting.

There is a dominant gene for melanism amongst grey squirrels and I understand that this is spreading - I've seen some in Cambridge but not in Norfolk yet.

The question is: is this really spreading to the extent that all squirrels and rabbits will be black eventually and why has this appeared so relatively suddenly?

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/07/2008 22:35:50

There are billions of rabbits around here (OK, that may be a slight exaggeration) but I have not noticed any that are not the usual colour of a wild rabbit.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: Make it Lady on 21/07/2008 23:37:26

Black rabbits do occur in the wild but are few and far between. It is partly cross breeding. I guess black is a dominant colour. I have seen black rabbits in the wild as far back as 30 years ago so it isn't a new thing.
I'd hate to think that evolution was going to make all animals black!

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: that mad man on 22/07/2008 01:55:27

It could be that someone has released a pet black rabbit into the wild and it has bread with a wild rabbit.

It happens with a lot of captive species when released into the wild.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 22/07/2008 08:00:12

Maybe the black ones are on day trips from S E London  [:D]

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: blakestyger on 22/07/2008 09:02:22

Thanks to you all - the day trippers are still here so we're probably looking at a long weekend or even a sabatical if they're here in the autumn.

A biologist I met last spring said that all squuirells could end up black - I'll try and contact her again and clarify that.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: Bored chemist on 22/07/2008 19:35:35

My brother's family have a pet rabbit. If I remember I will ask him if it's changing colour.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: blakestyger on 22/07/2008 20:02:16

Very droll - I think now this may have something to do with genetic drift.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 22/07/2008 20:25:57

Is that the lagoporph equivalent of continental drift?

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: blakestyger on 23/07/2008 13:31:21

Not quite.
By the way, if it's not undiplomatic to ask, what's happened to your duel with Bishadi? I didn't think it would dry up so suddenly. He's the only member on TNS so far to communicate entirely in  Lolcat. [;D]

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 23/07/2008 18:08:28

There's no point attempting discourse with anyone who won't answer questions.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: Bored chemist on 23/07/2008 20:25:53

I can tell I'm going to have to steal this put down line "He's the only ... to communicate entirely in  Lolcat." for some of the folk I know.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: blakestyger on 23/07/2008 21:41:05

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 23/07/2008 18:08:28

There's no point attempting discourse with anyone who won't answer questions.

Absolutely right - best left.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: opus on 23/07/2008 23:24:39

my rabbit's not changed colour- it's still pink.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 23/07/2008 23:32:33

Quote from: opus on 23/07/2008 23:24:39

my rabbit's not changed colour- it's still pink.

Is it still rampant too?  [;D]

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: opus on 23/07/2008 23:40:02

it has its moments.

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 24/07/2008 07:53:17

Ooooh... I like Moments!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geofftech.co.uk%2Fobsessions%2Ffoxs%2Fgifs%2Fmoments.gif&hash=d3dac079cdda8e4dc8e82ed4fed8e45e)

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: opus on 24/07/2008 09:30:43

magic!

Title: Are rabbits changing colour?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 24/07/2008 15:26:18

I can make them disappear like magic! (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Feating1%2F7.gif&hash=b651af108de81ddd3124a42bd205a5f7)