Enhancing the conservation status of wild rabbit populations (Oryctolagus cuniculus) while preventing damage to agriculture is the aim of Iberconejo, an international LIFE project led by WWF. The initiative brings together representatives from Spain and Portugal, including the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation (RFEC), to unite all social actors around shared goals.
Rabbits inhabit Iberian ecosystems as a native endemism and a key species in the Mediterranean forest. They serve as prey for about forty predator species, among them the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle, underscoring their ecological importance. At the same time, rabbits hold high socioeconomic value as a principal component of small game and are frequently cited as a major agricultural pest.
Over the last seven decades, rabbit numbers on the Iberian Peninsula have fallen by more than 90 percent due to land-use changes and disease pressures, prompting the IUCN to classify the species as endangered in 2019. Yet in some regions, populations surge enough to cause substantial agricultural damage, creating a paradox in management priorities.
Launched to December 2024, the LIFE Iberconejo project is viewed by supporters as an essential step to stabilize rabbit populations, restore their vital ecological role, and promote a Mediterranean species that coexists with farming interests rather than harming them.
Damage reduction
Addressing this issue requires a multi-angled approach within a participatory governance framework. Fifteen organizations from Spain and Portugal—conservation groups, wildlife managers, scientists, farmers, hunters, and public administrations— collaborate with shared purposes and complementary expertise.
Among the project’s goals is an updated understanding of the current rabbit populations, their health status, and the economic impact on the Iberian Peninsula. Tools include the coordinated adoption of standardized monitoring protocols and the training of personnel to implement them effectively.
Work proceeds in parallel with the compilation of regional best practices to encourage population growth and reduce harm. A governance system is being built to progressively include all key actors beyond those directly involved in the project and every administration responsible for species management.
“Iberconejo lays the foundation for long-term hare management. While solving all the complex issues or achieving full recovery within the project period is unlikely, the solutions developed and implemented here are essential for effective management, helping protect ecosystems and minimize social conflicts,” stated Ramón Pérez de Ayala, WWF coordinator for LIFE Iberconejo.
“Ecosystem Engineer”
Diseases have driven the decline of rabbits, notably myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease, which can cause mortality rates up to 90 percent. Habitat changes and intensive farming have altered landscape structure, erasing the mosaic habitats that historically supported the species.
Rabbits are often described as ecological engineers due to their ability to shape the environment. Their digging creates nurseries that improve soil quality through waste deposition, alters vegetation structure, and facilitates seed dispersal, benefiting a range of organisms and ecological processes.
Rabbits are native to the Iberian Peninsula, with original distributions spanning Spain, Portugal, France, Morocco, and Algeria. Today they inhabit nearly the entire peninsula and both Canary and Balearic Islands, though their presence is uneven in some coastal areas. Historically, they extended across much of Europe, the United Kingdom, the Azores, the Canary archipelago, and parts of Australia, New Zealand, South America, and North Africa, where they are sometimes considered pests due to predator absence and rapid spread.
WWF Spain coordinates the project, with partners including the Foundation for Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation, the Institute for Resources Research (IREC-CSIC), the Institute for Advanced Social Studies (IESA-CSIC), the San Pablo CEU University Foundation, and various agricultural and hunting groups as well as regional governments such as Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura.
For further information, the SOS Bunny initiative provides a project overview and updates. This resource is referenced here for context and attribution to the coordinating organizations and their stakeholders.