title

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Ukraine: 140 years from introduction to decline

author(s)

Igor Zagorodniuk (orcid: 0000-0002-0523-133X)

affiliation

National Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine)

bibliography

Theriologia Ukrainica. 2023. Vol. 25: 126–149.

DOI

language

Ukrainian, with English summary, titles of tables, captures to figs

abstract

An analysis of the history of introduction, population growth and extinction of the European rabbit populations in Ukraine is presented. The history of the initial and subsequent introductions of the species, which were initiated in the northern Black Sea region about 140 years ago, is considered in detail. The centres of introductions were the balka systems near Kherson and the slopes of seaside estuaries near Odesa. The earliest dates of introductions are 1882 and 1894 in the Kherson region and 1898 and 1900 in Odesa region, later in other regions. There are contradictions in determining the status of introduced animals as to whether they were domestic or wild rabbits. The details of the earliest introductions and the subsequent fate of populations by region are considered: for Odesa, Ternopil, Poltava, and Mykolaiv oblasts, and for the Crimea. Attempts to describe the general range of the European rabbit in Ukraine are ana-lysed, including reviews of 1973 and 1994. The cadastre of recent (1960–1990) and modern (since 2000) finds of the species in Ukraine was compiled. In the cadastre, the data is summarized for seven regions: Odesa Oblast (14 locations), Mykolaiv Oblast (1), Kherson Oblast (4), Zaporizhia Oblast (2), Crimea (8), other regions of Right-bank Ukraine (3), other regions of Left-bank Ukraine (3). All such data are marked on a map. The cadastre includes also collection materials; NMNH (Kyiv) houses 81 specimens, including 27 specimens of the wild form from Odesa, 5 from Kherson Oblast, and 49 from Crimea. Four aspects of the European rabbit’s occurrence in Ukraine are discussed, particularly the limits of species range, type habitats, population decline in the 1980s–1990s, and factors that impacted the extinction of populations. Among the latter, evidence is given in favour of three factors: epizootics, overhunting, and climate change; each of them is an important factor in the existence and disappearance of a species. Finally, information on modern remnants of former colonies, which actually survived only thanks to artificial support, is considered: the outskirts of Odesa, Mezhyhiria, and some other regions with local introductions within individual hunting farms mainly in the forest-steppe zone. The prospects for the further existence of the species that has gone through a difficult path from being a successfully introduced species to a species that has almost completely disappeared are considered.

keywords

European rabbit, introduction, acclimatization, population dynamics, Ukraine

references

Averin, V. G. 1923. Report on the I All-Ukrainian exhibition of hunting and fishing on July 22–29, 1923 in Kharkiv. Hunting and Fishing, No. 5–6: 9–24.
Argatyuk, S. S. 2017. Landowners de Volans, Altests, Marchotsky, Malachovsky. In: Kraieved [Local Historian] (website). Odessa. http://kraeved.od.ua/history/vgdazeml.php [In Russian]
Arkhipchuk, V., V. Gruzdev. 1986. Wild rabbits in Ukraine. Hunting and Game Management, No. 12: 8–10.
Barabash, M. B., N. P. Grebeniuk, O. G. Tatarchuk. 2007. Features of changes in heat and moisture resources in Ukraine with modern climate warming. Scientific works of the Ukrainian Research Hydrometeorological Institute, 256: 174–186. https://goo.gl/FU7gv6 [In Ukrainian]
Belik, V. P., J. E. Shergalin, Y. J. Franquien. 2013. M. M. Alferaki — The birds of the Lower Don river area: Passeriformes. Strepet, 11 (2): 5–22. [In Russian]
Bobrov, V. V., A. A. Varshavsky, L. A. Khlyap. 2008. Alien Species of Mammals in the Ecosystems of Russia. KMK, Moscow, 1–232. (Series: Alien species of Russia). [In Russian]
Boyko, M. F. S. G. Chornyi. 2001. Ecology of the Kherson region. Terra, Kherson, 1–186. ISBN 966-7976-10-6. [In Ukrainian]
Brauner, A. A. 1923. Suborder Duplicidentata. In: Brauner, A. A. Agricultural Zoology. Gosizdat Ukrainy, Kyiv, 75–80. [In Ukrainian]
Bulakhov, V. L., O. Y. Pakhomov. 2011. Biological Diversity of Ukraine. Dnipropetrovsk Region. Mammals (Mammalia). Dnipropetrovsk Univ. Press, Dnipropetrovsk, 1–356. [In Ukrainian]
Bushakov, V. A., N. E. Drohobych. 1998. Toponymy of the Biosphere Reserve "Askania-nova". News of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve, [1]: 12–19. https://goo.gl/GRDkZF [In Russian]
Dulitsky, A. I. 2001. Biodiversity of Crimea. Mammals: History, State, Protection, and Prospects. SONAT, Simferopol, 1–208. ISBN 966-7347-52-4. [In Russian]
Gizenko, A. I., L. S. Shevchenko. 1973. Promissing character of Oryctolagus cuniculus L., 1758) breeding in Ukraine. Vestnik zoologii, No. 4: 10–15. [In Ukrainian]
Golov, B. 2010. Changes in Landscapes and Fauna of Poltava Region (electronic edition). Boris Golov (web-site), Poltava, 1–170. https://bit.ly/2pFONYN
Golov, B. A. 1981. Economic Modification of the Territory and Changes in the Landscape and Fauna of Terrestrial Vertebrates in the Forest-Steppe of Left-Bank Ukraine. Poltava Museum of Local Lore, Poltava, 1–18. [In Russian]
Golov, B. 2010. Changes in Landscapes and Fauna of Poltava Region (electronic edition). Poltava, Boris Golov (web-site), 1–170. https://bit.ly/2pFONYN [In Russian]
Heptner, V. G. 1933. Hares. Vneshtorgizdat, Moscow, Leningrad, 1–51. [In Russian]
Kolomytsev, A. A. O. N. Budrinskaya. 2006. Rabbit myxomatosis. Rabbit and Fur Farming, No. 1. (online). https://goo.gl/ZH35xP [In Russian]
Kolosov, A. M., N. P. Lavrov. 1968. Wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus L. and domestic rabbit. In: Kolosov, A. M., N. P. Lavrov. Enrichment of Commercial Fauna of the USSR. Lesnaia Promyshlennost, Moscow, 171–174. [In Russian]
Kolosov, A. M. 1975. Protection and Enrichment of the Fauna of the USSR. Lesnaya Promyshlennost’, Moscow, 1–279. [In Russian]
Kuzmovich, L. G., B. R. Pylyavskyi. 1980. The formation of parasitocenosis in a wild rabbit during acclimatization in the conditions of Ternopil Transnistria. 9th Conference of the Ukrainian Parasitological Society. Part 2. Kyiv, 191–192. [In Russian]
Kuznetsov, Б. А. 1929. Wild rabbit in Ukraine. Pushnoie Delo [Furry Business], No. 6: 61–67. [In Russian]
Lytus, I. E. 1986. Acclimatization of Wild Animals. Urozhay Publ. House, Kyiv, 1–192. [In Russian]
Lobkov, V. A. 2007. To the problem of preserving biological diversity in protected territories. News of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve, 9: 94–103. [In Russian]
Lobkov, V. A. 2016. Intra-Population Regulation of the Number of Mammals: Monograph. Odesa National University named after I. I. Mechnikov, Odessa, 1–237. ISBN 978-617-689-144-4. https://goo.gl/Qi9HgK [In Russian]
Małachowski, B. H. 1928. Kronika rodu Jaxów Na Kozłowem Małachowie Małachowskich herbu Gryf. Kraków 1–236. http://www.genesis.jaxasoft.se
Matviychuk, O. A., A. B. Pirkhal, V. Yu. Reminnyi. 2015. Cadastre of Terrestrial Tetrapods of the Vinnytsia Region. Ed. V. G. Kuryata. Nilan-LTD, Vinnytsia, 1–436. [In Ukrainian]
Myhulin, O. O. 1938. Mammals of the Ukrainian RSR (Materials to Fauna). Acad. Sci. of Ukrainian SSR, Kyiv, 1–426. [In Ukrainian]
Ognev, S. I. 1940. Rodents. USSR Academy of Sciences, Moskva, Leningrad, 1–615. (Series: Mammals of Eastern Europe and Northern Asia; Vol. 4). [In Russian]
Oleinik, Yu., Yu. Suvorov. 2022. Volodymyr Oleksiyovych Lobkov: a life given to Nature. Novitates Theriologicae, 15: 101–104. [In Ukrainian]
Paczoski, I. K. 1904. Essay on the Vegetation of the Dnipro District of the Taurida Province. Odessa, 1–152. (Series: Notes of the Novorossiysk Society of Naturalists; Vol. 26). [In Russian]
Paczoski, I. K. 1906. Explanatory Catalog of the Natural History Museum of the Kherson Provincial Zemstvo. Printing house O. D. Khodushina, Kherson, 1–204. [In Russian]
Pivovar, A. V., O. I. Peshiy, K. V. Shlyakhovy (compilers). 2010. Land Banks of the Novorossiysk Kray. Akademperiodika, Kyiv, 1–619. https://goo.gl/ZzhyLy [In Ukrainian]
Pontabla, H., A. de, Lucas. 1976. Dialouge sur la myxomatose. Saint-Hubert, 75 (1): 7–9.
Pysareva, M. E. 1960. Mammals of artificial forests in the steppe zone of the Ukrainian SSR. In: Artificial Forests of the Steppe Zone of Ukraine. Dnepropetrovsk State University. Publishing house of Kharkiv State University, Kharkov, 383–400. [In Russian]
Regional... 2016. Regional report on the state of the natural environment in the Kherson region in 2015. Ministry of Natural Resources of Ukraine (website). https://goo.gl/4eK7uV
Report... 2008. Report on the state of the natural environment in Odesa region in 2007. Black Sea Ecological Bulletin (Odesa), No. 3 (29): 5–167. https://goo.gl/dD2QYz [In Ukrainian]
Schillinger, F. F. 1929. Brown Hares, Hare and Wild Rabbit. Kharkiv, 1–64. [In Russian]
Selyunina, Z. 2014. Changes in the composition of mammal fauna in the Black Sea Reserve region because of invasion of species (History of studying of mammals and economic development of the region). Proceedings of the Theriological School, 12: 69–80. [In Ukrainian] http://doi.org/10.15407/ptt2014.12.069
Shatalova, S. P. 1972. Wild rabbit and features of its reproduction in the south of Ukraine. In: Naumov, S. P. (ed.). Animal Fauna and Ecology. Collection of scientific articles. MGPI, Moscow, 93–101. [In Russian]
Shevchenko, L. S. 1986. Morphological characteristics of the wild rabbit in Ukraine. Vestnik zoologii, No. 5: 65–71. [In Russian]
Shevchenko, L. S., S. I. Zolotukhina. 2005. Catalogue of the collections of the Zoological Museum. Mammals. Issue 2: Insectivorous, bats, lagomorphs, rodents. NMNH NAS of Ukraine. Kyiv, 1–238. [In Russian]
Shevchenko, L. S. 2007. Mammals. Issue 3. Carnivores. Lagomorphs (additions). Zoological Museum, NAS of Ukraine. Kyiv, 1–80. [In Russian]
Shevchenko, A. A., L. V. Shevchenko, D. Yu. Zerkalev, [et al.]. 2011. Viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits. Veterinary in Kuban, No. 2. online: https://goo.gl/ymyBA7 [In Russian]
Shevchenko, A. A., L. V. Shevchenko, D. Y. Zerkalev. [et al.]. 2014. Viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits: prevetion and treatment. Veterinary in Kuban, No. 5. online: https://goo.gl/usw39i [In Russian]
Shuliatiev, A. A. 1987. Breeding of wild rabbits in the anthropogenic landscape of the Crimea. Influence of Anthropogenic Transformation of the Landscape on the Population of Terrestrial Vertebrates: Abstracts of the All-Union Conference. Part 1. Moscow, 282–283. [In Russian]
Smith, A. T., A. F. Boyer. 2008. Oryctolagus cuniculus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T41291A10415170. 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41291A10415170.en
Sokolov, V. E., E. Yu. Ivanitskaya, V. V. Gruzdev, V. G. Heptner. 1994. Mammals of Russia and Adjacent Regions. Lagomorphs. Nauka, Moscow, 1–272. [In Russian]
Sokur, I. T. 1961. Historical Changes and Use of the Mammalian Fauna of Ukraine. Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kyiv, 1–84. [In Ukrainian]
Statistical... 2017. Statistical bulletin "Management of the hunting economy". State Statistics Service of Ukraine 2017. https://goo.gl/dtzU3B [In Ukrainian]
Talposh, V. S., B. R. Pyliavsky. 1998. Fauna of Vertebrates of Ternopil Region (Reference Book). Navchalna Knuha Bohdan, Ternopil, 1–80. [In Ukrainian]
Tovpinets, N. N., I. L. Efstafiev. 2003. Natural foci of zoonosis infections in Crimea: epizootic and epidemiological aspects. Voprosy Razvitiya Kryma; Volume 15. Tavria-Plus Press,Simferopol, 94–104. [In Russian]
Turianyn, I. I. 1975. Fur-Industrial Beasts and Game Birds of the Carpathians. Karpaty, Uzhhorod, 1–175. [In Ukrainian]
Vaschenok, V. S., A. A. Shuliatiev. 1990. Fleas Spilopsyllus cuniculi as parasites of a wild rabbit in the territory of the USSR. Parasitology, 24 (2): 148–151. https://goo.gl/S6N1Xc [In Russian]
Vikyrchak, A., A. Bachynsky. 2019. Experience and results of acclimatization of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Ternopil region in 1976–1980. Theriologia Ukrainica, 17: 88–91. [In Ukrainian] http://doi.org/10.15407/pts2019.17.088
Volokh, A. M. 2012. Introduction of hunting mammals in the Crimea and its results. Bulletin of Hunting Science, 9 (2): 237–252 . [In Russian]
Volokh, A. M. 2014. Mammals Hunted in Steppe Ukraine: Monograph. Pt. 1. Grinn D. S., Kherson, 1–412. [In Russian]
Voliansky, B. 1924. Notes on the mammalian fauna of Odesa (mainly the outskirts of Odesa). Yuzhnaia Okhota [Southern Hunting], No. 2: 14–16. [In Ukrainian]
Zagorodniuk, I. V. 1999. Steppe fauna core of Eastern Europe: its structure and prospects of protection. Reports of the NAS of Ukraine, No. 5: 203–210. [In Ukrainian]
Zagorodniuk, I. 2006. Adventive mammal fauna of Ukraine and a significance of invasions in historical changes of fauna and communities. Zagorodniuk I. (ed.). Fauna in Anthropogenic Environments. Luhansk, 18–47. (Series: Proceedings of the Theriological School; Vol. 8). [In Ukrainian]
Zagorodniuk, I., M. Korobchenko, V. Kirichenko. 2017. Mole-rats Nannospalax leucodon and Spalax zemni in Ukraine: identification criteria and border between their ranges. Proceedings of the Theriological School, 15: 97–104. https://doi.org/10.15407/ptt2017.15.097
Zorya, O. 2005. Mammals of the Kharkiv region and their species richness. Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod University. Series Biology, 17: 155–164. [In Ukrainian]