Why were New World rabbits not domesticated?

Despite extensive human-rabbit interactions spanning thousands of years, particularly at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan, North American rabbits were not domesticated like their European counterparts. This study identifies behavioral differences—specifically social structure and reproductive traits—as key factors preventing New World rabbit domestication. While European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) exhibit communal living, stable social hierarchies, and cooperative breeding, North American cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) display solitary tendencies and less structured social behaviors. Archaeological evidence from Teotihuacan, including isotopic analysis of rabbit remains, supports the idea that rabbits were managed for food, fur, and ritual purposes but remained wild. The study contrasts these findings with Europe's domestication history, where directed breeding led to significant morphological changes in European rabbits by the 18th century.

Somerville, A. D., & Sugiyama, N. (2021). Why were New World rabbits not domesticated? Animal Frontiers, 11(3), 62–68. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfab026