A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, and can be found in nearly every biome and among various biological interactions. Many animal species are known to form burrows. These species range from small amphipods, to very large vertebrate species such as the polar bear. Burrows can be constructed into a wide variety of substrates and can range in complexity from a simple tube a few centimeters long to a complex network of interconnecting tunnels and chambers hundreds or thousands of meters in total length; an example of the latter level of complexity, a well-developed burrow, would be a rabbit warren.
An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow
A black-tailed prairie dog, with young, emerges from its burrow
Bird burrows on the Volga shore near Kstovo, Russia
Crustacean burrows in a Jurassic limestone, southern Israel
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, which is in the order Lagomorpha. The European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus is the ancestor of the world's hundreds of breeds of domestic rabbit. Sylvilagus includes 13 wild rabbit species, among them the seven types of cottontail. The European rabbit, which has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica, is familiar throughout the world as a wild prey animal, a domesticated form of livestock and a pet. With its widespread effect on ecologies and cultures, in many areas of the world, the rabbit is a part of daily life – as food, clothing, a companion, and a source of artistic inspiration.
Rabbit
Brachylagus idahoensisPygmy rabbit
Nesolagus netscheriSumatran striped rabbit(Model)
Oryctolagus cuniculusEuropean rabbit(Feral Tasmanian specimen)