Why is the Amami rabbit population declining?

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rabbit European rabbits (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*).

The Amami rabbit population is currently declining due to two primary factors: the destruction of its forest habitat and predation by non-native species, specifically introduced mongooses, as well as feral dogs and cats.1

This species is restricted to only two small islands in southern Japan—Amami and Tokunoshima—making its fragmented population of approximately 5,400 animals particularly vulnerable to these environmental pressures.1