Martin asked
"Why aren't rabbits green?"
Part Answer: they can become red!
The rabbit, introduced to Australia in the last century,
expanded its range to cover almost the entire temperate
region. Evolution has taken place quite rapidly - the
rabbit is now a larger mammal, and is losing its dull
grey and becoming more reddish.
Natural selection is taking place with quite surprising speed.
George :)
Grace K Hsu wrote:
>> >
> > Given the fact that rabbits are rather defenceless prey animals that
> > spend almost all of their life outside the warren eating against a
> > green background, why haven't they evolved to be green? And why has no
> > other similar mammal evolved green skin or fur, while many insects
> > have?
> >
> > Does anyone have any suggestions?
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Martin
> >
> Probably because mammals (so far as I know) can't grow green
> pigments? Why they can't? I'm not sure ( I mean aren't bird's feathers
> made of the same matirial as fur?)
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