Food and shelter is what you need at the beach: feeding habitat selection by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a coastal dune system.

Food abundance is the main factor regulating population size of the European rabbit. However, risk of predation during feeding may be a factor limiting rabbit populations. Feeding site selection depends not only on resource abundance and distribution but also on the degree of exposure to predators and competitors. European rabbits have been studied in a wide range of environments. However, there is a lack of knowledge in the rabbits feeding behaviour within the coastal sand dune systems of Southern Europe where rabbits play an important role in the shaping of the ecosystem. In this study we; a) define the traits of the sites selected by the rabbit and the factors influencing such selection, b) explore a possible relationship between food abundance and site selection and c) evaluate possible seasonal differences in site selection in a coastal sand dune system in south western corner of the Iberian Peninsula. Rabbit abundance was estimated using faecal pellet counts; food and refuge abundance was also estimated during all the seasons. Data were analyzed using a multiple regressions analysis and the method of Neu et al. The results show that feeding site selection was princely related to abundance of the scrub Retama monosperma. The model analyzed shows that rabbits preferred feeding sites that provide protection against predators.