Introduced lagomorphs

• Main Authors: Cooke, Brian D., Flux, John E.C., Bonino, Never
• Other Authors: Smith, Andrew T., Johnston, Charlotte H., Alves, Paulo C., Hacklander, Klaus
• Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Johns Hopkins University Press 2018
• Subjects: Antarctic; Argentina; Kerguelen; New Zealand; Pacific; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/publications/ac7fba10-78df-4f8b-b586-fe54dcfa37b7; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058757033&partnerID=8YFLogxK; https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10847/lagomorphs

At least 2,000 years, few have become established widely and perhaps those on islands are often mere indicators of a wider traffic to mainland areas where releases did not persist because of more complex ecosystems. European rabbits, nevertheless, became established in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina as well as hundreds of islands throughout the world (Flux 1994), ranging from sub- Antarctic islands such as Kerguelen to tropical islands such as Phoenix Island in the Pacific within 3° of the equator. European hares are now found in many of the same countries as rabbits, including Australasia and South America, but have also become established in North America around the Great Lakes area. The eastern cottontail, a North American species, was introduced comparatively recently into Italy, France, and Spain, and populations in Italy are spreading apparently at the expense of local European hares. Other introductions of lagomorphs have been confined to extensions of range, establishment of populations elsewhere on the same continent, or small numbers of islands. History of Introductions and Spread Not all introductions of lagomorphs were carried out for the same reason. European rabbits were systematically spread through northeastern Europe in medieval times with monasteries and Norman dukes and kings playing a major role in the spread into Britain in the thirteenth century. Rabbit hunting and rights to keep rabbits in a garenne or warren were at times used to cultivate political According to Long (2003) in his widely cited book Intro duced Mammals of the World, nine species of lagomorph have been deliberately introduced by humans to areas beyond their historically known geographical ranges. Of these species, three have become established in such numbers that they have caused major economic damage or environmental disruption. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), the European hare (Lepus europaeus), and the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) are now considered invasive ...