Rabbits in the Cotswolds: Population, Breeding, Damage, and Control
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a familiar sight across the rolling hills and farmlands of the Cotswolds. While these animals are part of the natural countryside landscape, their populations—if left unmanaged—can have a significant negative impact on agriculture, biodiversity, and land management efforts.
Breeding and Population Growth
Rabbits are prolific breeders. A single female rabbit can produce up to 7 litters per year, with each litter containing between 3 and 7 young (kits). Breeding begins as early as January and can continue into late summer or early autumn. Kits mature rapidly and can begin breeding themselves in just 4 months.
Given these conditions, rabbit populations can explode rapidly under ideal conditions—particularly in areas with mild winters and plenty of ground cover, like those found throughout the Cotswolds.
Population Density
Rabbit populations vary seasonally and regionally, but in rural areas such as the Cotswolds, densities can reach hundreds of individuals per hectare if unchecked. A small warren can quickly expand into a significant colony, with extensive burrowing systems that cause issues for both landowners and the environment.
Damage to Land and Agriculture
The impact of rabbit overpopulation is both ecological and economic. Key areas of concern include:
Crop Damage: Rabbits graze heavily on cereal crops, young shoots, vegetables, and saplings. They can decimate newly planted fields overnight.
Pasture Loss: Grazing pressure reduces available forage for livestock and wild herbivores.
Tree and Hedge Destruction: Bark stripping and gnawing on young trees weakens or kills native species and commercial plantations.
Burrowing: Rabbit warrens undermine the structural integrity of embankments, footpaths, archaeological sites, and even foundations of rural buildings.
Biodiversity Imbalance: By consuming large amounts of vegetation, rabbits can reduce plant diversity and affect the wider ecosystem.
DEFRA has estimated that rabbit damage costs UK agriculture tens of millions of pounds annually, making them a significant pest species requiring ongoing management.
Humane Population Control: Shooting
To prevent uncontrolled population growth and protect farmland and ecosystems, humane culling is necessary in many areas. One of the most effective and targeted methods is controlled shooting, carried out by experienced, insured marksmen.
Unlike poison or trapping—which can pose risks to non-target species—shooting allows for selective removal of rabbits with minimal disruption to the surrounding environment. Conducted during dawn or dusk hours, or with night vision equipment where appropriate, this method ensures precise, ethical population control.
At Cotswold Shooting Conservation, we advocate for responsible, humane, and legal control measures, working with landowners to manage rabbit populations efficiently and with minimal stress to wildlife.
Conclusion
Rabbits are a charming but highly invasive species when left unmanaged in the Cotswolds. With their extraordinary reproductive capacity and destructive impact on crops, trees, and biodiversity, their numbers must be kept in check. Shooting provides a humane and highly effective solution, preserving the delicate balance of the countryside for future generations.