Angora rabbit

The Angora rabbit (Turkish: Ankara tavşanı) is one of the oldest groups of domestic rabbit breeds. These rabbits are special because they have very long, soft fur that comes from their coat, called Angora wool. This fur is collected by shearing or gently pulling it out, known as plucking.

There are at least eleven different kinds of Angora rabbits. Four of them are officially recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, called ARBA. These four are the English Angora, the French Angora, the Giant Angora, and the Satin Angora. Other types include the German, Finnish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, St Lucian, and Swiss Angoras, though these are not all officially recognized yet.

History

The Angora rabbit is thought to have started in Ankara, a city in modern-day Turkey, long ago. It was brought to France in 1723 and became a favorite pet of French royalty in the mid-1700s. By the end of that century, Angora rabbits had spread across Europe. In the United States, clothing made from Angora rabbit wool became popular in the early 1900s. During World War II, people needed even more of this soft wool, so they began raising Angora rabbits on a larger scale to meet the demand.

Angora-rabbit wool

Main article: Angora wool

Angora rabbits are raised for their soft, silky wool. This wool is very fine and gentle, much like cashmere. A healthy Angora rabbit can grow about 3 centimeters (1 inch) of wool each month. Their wool needs regular care to stop it from getting tangled, which can make the rabbit uncomfortable. The wool is collected every few months by either gently pulling it out or cutting it off with small scissors. This process helps keep the rabbit comfortable and provides useful wool. Because rabbit wool does not cause allergies like some other animal wools, it is a special alternative for many people.

Health

Main article: Domestic rabbit § Health

Angora rabbits need special care because their long fur can cause health problems. Their long fur can sometimes block their digestion, which is very dangerous. To keep them healthy, their fur needs to be trimmed or gently pulled out every about three to four months.

Angora rabbits can also get tiny bugs called wool mites that live on their skin. These mites make the rabbit’s skin flaky and can hurt the quality of their fur. There are safe treatments that help get rid of these mites.

Angora rabbit breeds

The Angora rabbit has a special gene that gives it a very long, fluffy coat. This coat is called Angora wool and can be gathered by cutting or pulling it. There are at least 11 different types of Angora rabbits, but four are well-known in the United States: the English Angora, the French Angora, the Giant Angora, and the Satin Angora.

English Angora

The English Angora is the smallest of the four main Angora breeds. It has fluffy fur on its ears, face, and front feet, giving it a teddy-bear look. Its wool needs regular grooming, about twice a week, to stay neat.

French Angora

The French Angora is a bit larger, weighing between 3.5–4.5 kg (7.7–9.9 lb). It has a clean face without much fur, except for small tufts on the rear legs. Its wool is dense and requires less grooming than other Angoras.

Giant Angora

The Giant Angora is the largest Angora breed, weighing at least 5.4 kg (12 lb). It was created to produce a lot of wool and has a unique body type different from other Angoras. Its wool is very dense and comes in three types: soft underwool, awn fluff, and awn hair.

Satin Angora

The Satin Angora, developed in Canada, has a silky, shiny coat because of its unique hair structure. It doesn’t produce as much wool as other Angoras but is being bred to improve this. Its wool is strong but can be tricky to spin because of its slippery texture.

Other Angora rabbit breeds include the Finnish Angora, Japanese Angora, Russian Angora, St. Lucian Angora, Swiss Angora, Dutch Angora, and Belgian Dwarf Angora.

Genetics

Scientists have studied the genes of Angora rabbits to understand why they have such special fur. They found that a particular gene, called FGF5, plays an important role. In these rabbits, a small change in this gene causes their fur to grow longer than usual. This helps make the Angora rabbit's coat special and fluffy.