Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. There are eight different genera in the family comprising around 60 species. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is perhaps the best-known species as it is widely kept as a pet and has been introduced to many areas outside its natural range, including Australia and South America. Male rabbits are called bucks; females are called does. An older term for an adult rabbit is coney (derived originally from Celtic words). Young rabbits under one year old are known as kittens or kitlings. A group of rabbits is commonly referred to as a herd, mob or colony.
Rabbits live underground in warrens, making extensive burrow systems with interconnecting passageways and chambers for sleeping, rearing young and storing food. Some wild rabbit populations have been devastated by myxomatosis, but this disease has also been controlled in many places by vaccination programmes; however outbreaks can still occur amongst un vaccinated domestic populations leading to Rabbit control being necessary on farms etc.. In some cultures people believed that if a pregnant woman saw a white rabbit she would give birth to a child with deformities caused by prenatal disturbance; this may be linked to albinism which gives rise to white fur coats in some individuals.