World Lagomorph Society

📣8th World Lagomorph Conference UPDATED LOCATION!!!📣 We are very excited to announce that our 8th World Lagomorph Conference will now be held June 22-26, 2026, in Seville, Spain at the Universidad de Sevilla.🐰🇪🇸

Combining thermal imaging with distance sampling is transforming hare monitorization. A new study in Sweden found most detections came from thermal scans, especially in forests where is harder to spot hares. doi.org/10.1007/s10344…

Quaternary climate swings drove migration, hybridisation, and speciation among 4 hare species in NW China. Genomic data revealed the complex evolution and two bottlenecks linked to the Mid-Brunhes event and early human hunting. doi.org/10.1111/mec.70…

Mountain hare surveys, Peak District, England. Now in tenth year! Last report showed 80% population decline 2017-2024. See here. researchgate.net/publication/38… Surveys 2025, continuing drop... Will it continue? Stay tuned. @PTES @HPT_Official @DerbysWildlife @peakdistrict

Using UAV imagery to detect true absence locations improves species distribution models for plateau pika. High-resolution aerial data reduce reliance on pseudo-absences, increasing model accuracy and habitat prediction reliability. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecol…

Post redes: Study from Riduo Township shows how pika density and grazing yaks shape alpine bird habitat. Dense pika burrows and yak bedding sites affect most species habitat suitability and occupation, highlighting thw cross-species engineering. doi.org/10.3390/birds7…

A recent study investigated the impact of invasive European rabbits on the flora of Teide National Park. Analysis of rabbit faeces revealed 12 plant species, predominantly Canary endemics, confirming their negative impact on native vegetation. doi.org/10.1007/s10344…

🚨🚨🚨!!!!!ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!!!🚨🚨🚨 New date: 2nd of March 2026, 23h59 Madrid Spain time!

A new study evaluated Sylvilagus floridanus role as a seed disperser in a conservation reserve within Mexico City. Cottontails revealed to be important dispersers due to the amount of excretes produced and the identity of the plants they disperse. doi.org/10.22201/ib.20…

New research on the 2023 leishmaniasis outbreak in southern Spain highlighted the role of rabbits in disease transmission. Sand flies fed predominantly on Iberian rabbits (75%), supporting their role as major reservoirs of Leishmania infantum. doi.org/10.1016/j.oneh…

A new study shows that European hares are major disperser of the invasive Rosa rubiginosa in Patagonia, consuming its fruits and spreading viable seeds, highlighting how one invader can accelerate another’s spread. doi.org/10.1080/016505…

🚨🐇New book!!🐇🚨-> l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%…

A new pilot study in France reports detectable seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), indicating exposure to this zoonotic parasite and underscoring the importance of surveillance in rabbits. doi.org/10.1016/j.vprs…

In plateau pikas, gut antibiotic resistance genes show clear seasonal variation yet remain structurally stable overall, highlighting how wild mammals maintain ARGs without antibiotic exposure. #plateaupika #microbiome doi.org/10.1016/j.jhaz…

🚨🚨🚨 WLC8 website is now LIVE! 🚨🚨🚨 👉 wlc8.com 🗓 Early registration opens 10 Jan 🗓 Late registration from 15 Mar 📝 Abstracts: 10 Jan–23 Feb We hope to see you there!

Using 40 years of data, a new research has found that snowshoe hare cycles in the Great Lakes persist but weaken with latitude, suggesting recent destabilization linked to climate change.🐇📉 doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70…

Large-scale screening of herpesviruses in lagomorphs (1036 samples) reveals 7.2% prevalence. The study also identified a putative new gammaherpesvirus in pikas and reports LeHV-5 in European and mountain hares for the first time. #lagomorphs #virus doi.org/10.1186/s12985…

🐇 New Research - Rabbits buffer dung beetle declines following the abandonment of traditional agropastoral practices in a semi-arid Iberian region 📖 Read the full paper here ➡️ buff.ly/lvtNi7T

Using stable isotope analysis, scientists found that European hares’ diet is shaped by habitat diversity. Hares in mixed, diverse farmlands have broader diets than those in uniform orchard landscapes, highlighting the importance of landscape diversity. doi.org/10.3390/ani160…

New research on European hare road mortality east of Prague shows collisions aren’t random. Vehicle strikes peak during the breeding season, and three clear spatial hotspots were identified, highlighting where and when mitigation is most needed. 🐇🚗 doi.org/10.1016/j.gecc…

Swamp rabbits are making a comeback! A decade-long comparison shows rising occupancy, expanded range and higher detection. Larger, connected bottomland hardwood habitats boosted persistence. After decades of decline, the species is rebounding. doi.org/10.1002/wll2.7…