The Species Attitude of Rabbit King in Minoka Island

The weight of Minoka rabbit king can reach 12kg, which is 10 times that of other rabbits at that time and 6 times that of modern European rabbits. It can get the title of "rabbit king" because it follows the "island survival law"-small animals will grow bigger and bigger, while big animals will grow smaller and smaller. On the island of Minoka 3-5 million years ago, they had no natural enemies, but bats, Dormice and giant turtles were their companions. At the same time, scientists from the Institute of Paleontology in Catalonia, Spain, found that the rabbit king of Minorca has huge claws, which are suitable for digging plants and roots, which may be their main food source.

Because there is no threat from natural enemies, they don't have to have keen eyesight, so their eyes are small. Besides, their ears are much smaller than those of modern rabbits.

When I found the first bone fossil, I thought it was the skeleton of a giant turtle, said Josep Quintana, the head of the study. In an interview with the Discovery Channel reporter, he said: "This is a very unique and robust rabbit. It is a very quiet animal, moving slowly, but very strong. "

Brian Cratz, an associate professor in the Department of Anatomy of the Pacific College of Orthopaedics, stressed that the Minoka Rabbit King may have been breeding on the earth for 40 million years. It is different from any rabbit fossil found so far. It is not only huge, but also has relatively short hind legs, which is not suitable for jumping.