\n<\/p>\n
Nuns<\/a> at the Convent of St. Anthony of Padua in Central Spain are on a mission beyond their spiritual calling: to save a rare breed of giant rabbit<\/a> from extinction. The eleven Franciscan sisters<\/a> are currently caring for 35 giant rabbits at the convent, which weigh up to 20 pounds each.<\/p>\n Sister Consuelo Peset Laude\u00f1a told Global Sisters Report<\/em><\/a> that the rabbits hold historical significance in Spain. During the Spanish War, the rabbits were a crucial source of food for families and orphanages during food shortages.<\/p>\n \u201cMany families have managed to get by thanks to this animal, and now it seems we are forgetting that part of our history,\u201d\u00a0she told the publication.<\/p>\n The sisters at the Convent of St. Anthony of Padua have worked to preserve the rabbits for over 30 years. But ten years ago, they learned the rabbits were going extinct.<\/p>\n \u201cWe contacted an association, I sent some photos, and they told me, \u2018You have a spectacular animal, and it\u2019s endangered,’\u201d Peset explained.<\/p>\n Their focus shifted into helping the rabbits breed, so the sisters worked with local Spanish authorities to establish a farm. They raised $5,700 to initially invest in the farm.<\/p>\n The sisters are tasked with feeding, cleaning, and maintaining the rabbits and their quarters. The rabbits are fed a combination of barley, hay, and corn. At the end of March 2026, a total of 90 births were recorded.<\/p>\n \u201cI do a visual check. I take a walk around and see which animals are listless or lethargic, and if any have died in the nests, they must be removed immediately,\u201d Peset said.<\/p>\n The rabbits live in temperature-controlled cages with proper ventilation.<\/p>\n \u201cRabbits start to suffer at 26 degrees [Celsius; which is about 79 degrees Fahrenheit]; they tolerate the cold well, but not the heat,\u201d Peset also added.<\/p>\n The nuns feel called to protect the rabbits thanks to a encyclical given by Pope Francis titled Laudato Si\u2019<\/a><\/em> in 2015. In that message, he called Catholics to care for nature and the environment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to protect creation,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are Franciscans. St. Francis is the patron saint of veterinarians, and that is the source of the love and admiration we feel for the Spanish giant rabbit.\u201d<\/p>\n Spanish Giant Rabbits are a cross between the Flemish Giant<\/a> and Spanish brown-type female rabbits. The rabbits weight up to 20 pounds, and each female rabbit can give birth to 22 pups each month.<\/p>\n According to Farm Show<\/a><\/em> Magazine in 2014, the rabbits are comparable in size to a small lamb. They were first bred in the early 1900s.<\/p>\n The giant rabbits are not for sale. To further conservation efforts, the sisters have chosen to donate the rabbits to local schools, a nearby theme park, and to registered private rabbit breeders.<\/p>\n The post Spanish nuns are fighting to preserve a giant rabbit breed in danger of extinction<\/a> appeared first on Upworthy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe journey to save giant rabbits<\/h2>\n
Caring for the rabbits<\/h2>\n
What are Spanish giant rabbits?<\/h2>\n