European rabbits have long ears without black tips and long hind legs; its colouring is sandy and less reddish than brown hare. The rabbit is smaller than the hare and has a bobbing gait, rather than the loping gait that hares have. Rabbits don’t often live for more than 3 years. Over 90% die in the first year of life, and most of these in the first three months. European rabbits are aggressive foragers and threaten biodiversity when they become established in new non-native areas. Rabbits are well known for their ability to reproduce rapidly. A single pair of European rabbits are capable of producing 30-40 offspring each year.

The preferred habitats of this species include dry areas near sea level with soft, sandy soil. Brushy fields for the cover they provide, forests are also inhabited. Cultivated land is not favorable due to modern plowing techniques which destroy rabbit burrows. Rabbits can be found almost anywhere they can burrow: sand dunes, railway verges and even in urban areas. The most suitable areas are those where the burrow area and food supply are side-by-side, such as woodland edge and hedgerows. They are rarely found above the tree-line and avoid damp conditions and areas deep in conifer woodland.