Rare Breed Rabbits Information Center

Rare Breed Rabbits List USA

Page Updated Oct 15 2011

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There are rabbit breeds that are special. Developed for color,
size, or special qualities. Now they are largely ignored by the
commercial market and most breeders.

These are the Rare Breed rabbits. They are small in number,
but each have their own special quality to them. And their numbers
could be very small indeed, maybe less than 200 rabbits in the U.S.
for some breeds.

Many of the these rabbit breeds were developed as meat and fur
rabbits, with wonderful potential for show.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has rated some of the
breeds below as CRITICAL, THREATENED, WATCH, or STUDY
ALBC uses a different ranking system than the Rare Breed Rabbit
listing system and focuses on American breeds or rare foreign breeds
that have been in USA a long time.

These Rare Breeds of Rabbit were first outlined in Tina Schrier's
article in August of 2003. (click here for article)

A new list was compiled at the end of 2006.
The list was compiled again in 2010.

Our list features the least active of the ARBA recognized rabbit breeds
to focus attention on these breeds. Some are in danger of disappearing
altogether. Here it is.

Here is the short version
#1 is most rare, #16 is less rare

2010 Rare Breed Rabbit Rank
1 Blanc de Hotot
2 Giant Angora
3 Cinnamon
4 Beveren
5 American
6 Satin Angora
7 Giant Chinchilla
8 Lilac
9 Silver
10 American Sable
11 Belgian Hare
12 American Chinchilla
13 Rhinelander
14 Creme d'Argent
15 Silver Fox
16 Palomino

Note: Standard Chinchilla was #16, is now #17 and is off the list.
Palomino has joined the Rare Breed List.



To show the differences from 2010 and 2006,
Here is the list again with the rankings from 2006 added
Rare Breed List 2010 - 2006

#1 is most rare, #16 is less rare
1st number is 2010 ranking, 2nd number is 2006 rank.

Here is the short version
#1 is most rare, #16 is less rare

2010 Rank - Breeds - 2006 Rank
1 Blanc de Hotot - 3
2 Giant Angora - 2
3 Cinnamon - 8
4 Beveren - 7
5 American - 1
6 Satin Angora - 4
7 Giant Chinchilla - 5
8 Lilac - 11
9 Silver - 14
10 American Sable - 10
11 Belgian Hare - 9
12 American Chinchilla - 6
13 Rhinelander - 15
14 Creme d'Argent - 12
15 Silver Fox - 13
16 Palomino

Note: Standard Chinchilla was #16, is now #17 and is off the list.
Palomino has joined the Rare Breed List.

Five year ranking period for 2010 list:
I used only the last five years data for this list because I wanted
to evaluate the current population levels. People have been working
to increase the activity of their favorite breed and I wanted the list
to reflect that recent effort. I thought the 5 year ranking period
which coincides with the Standard Of Perfection period would be
appropriate.

Ranking according to averages per year for 2010 list:
In the previous list, I used total entries and registrations for
ranking. This time I used averages by year for ranking. The reason
is the Thrianta and Mini Satin breeds were recognized during the
last 5 years and added to the list of all breeds. There is four
years of data available for those two breeds. Their four year
average can be compared with the five year average of the other breeds.


As you can see, most of the same breeds are on the list,
but they did switch positions.

Here is the list of Rare Breed Rabbits 2010, most rare is number one.
Links to information webpages are included when available.

1) Blanc d'Hotot aka Standard Hotot
(ALBC Rated:THREATENED)
http://www.hrbi.org/

http://rabbitgeek.com/breed/blancdehotot.html

2) Giant Angora
http://nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com/

3) Cinnamon
http://www.crbaonline.com/

4) Beveren
(ALBC Rated:WATCH)
http://www.beverens.8m.com/

5) American (Blue and White)
(ALBC Rated:CRITICAL)
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/abwrc.html

6) Satin Angora
http://nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com/

7) Giant Chinchilla
(ALBC Rated:WATCH)
http://giantchinchillarabbit.com/

8) Lilac
(ALBC Rated:WATCH)
http://albc-usa.org/cpl/lilac.html

National Lilac Rabbit Club of America
http://www.nlrca.webs.com/

9) Silver (brown, fawn, and black)
(ALBC Rated:THREATENED)
http://Natlsilverrabbitclub.tripod.com

10) American Sable
http://www.americansables.webs.com/

11) Belgian Hare
(ALBC Rated:THREATENED)
http://www.belgianhares.net/

http://www.belgianhareclub.com/

12) American Chinchilla
(ALBC Rated:CRITICAL)
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/chinamerican.html
American Chinchilla Rabbit Breeders Association Website
http://www.acrba.com/

13) Rhinelander
(ALBC Rated:WATCH)
Rhinelander Rabbit Club Of America
http://www.rhinelanderrabbits.com

14) Creme d'Argent
(ALBC Rated:WATCH)
http://www.cremedargentfederation.com/

15) Silver Fox
(ALBC Rated:CRITICAL)
http://www.nationalsilverfoxrabbitclub.org/

16) Palomino
Palomino rabbit discussion on yahoogroups



Most of the rabbit breeds from the original list are still there. They
just shifted positions

The original list is over seven years old. It was created using data
from ARBA and other sources. This was registration data, convention
entry numbers, with some factors for entries at National Shows.

Since data for entries at national shows is not consistently recorded,
I simplified and used ARBA statistical data.

Richard Gehr at ARBA has provided me with Convention entry numbers by
breed and variety for 2000 through 2006.

Susan Baker and Eric Stewart at ARBA provided additional data for the
updated list in 2010.

Their help made the list possible and is gratefully acknowledged.

Download Data file for 2010 list (PDF)

Download 2000-2004 Convention Totals Excel file

Download 2005 Convention Totals Excel file

Download 2006 Convention Totals Excel file

ARBA tracks these numbers to see who stays in the Standard of Perfection.


Download Registration Totals Jul '03 to June '04 Excel file

Download Registration Totals Jul '04 to June '05 Excel file

Download Registration Totals Jul '05 to June '06 Excel file


2006 Combined Ranks - MS Works Spreadsheet file

Learn about The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html

Learn about American Rabbit Breeders Association

http://www.arba.net/

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aka "The Rabbit Geek" 2005-2010 and may not be used without permission.

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