The Angora Rabbit

The Angora rabbit is a furry coat animal bred mostly for its wool. It may be hard to believe that it’s a kind of rabbit because of its unusual look.  Compared to its ordinary cousins, they have as much fur on their skin as a sheep has and are used to make yarns and clothing for the winter.

Their wool-generating DNA has been developed over years of habitation in the icy weathers of Angora, Turkey, thus the name Angora rabbit.  

Angora rabbits come in known eight breeds: Satin, Giant, English, French, German, Chinese, Swiss and Finnish. Among them, only four are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. These are first four mentioned (German, French, English, Giant and Satin)

Generally their fur is soft and silky.  Each breed carries different characteristics like color and the volume of coat. The English ones have broken black spots, and may resemble the common stuffed toys like the teddy bear or dog.

When it comes to superiority in hair size, the French breed is an exceptional choice.  The coat beneath its wool makes them look thicker.

The German ones are not recognized by the ARBA. They are commonly found in the US and Canada. These have different eye color from blood shot red to albino. It looks the same with the Giant Angaro.

Meanwhile the Satin breed have silk-like fibers, which is wonderfully soft and wonderful to look at. It is thinner and  semi-transparent. The yield of wool is much lower in these type.

The last but not the least, the Giants.  Giants are the biggest of the Angora rabbits. They have been produced to make the much sought after wool.  The quality of wool is ranked from first to fourth depending on its cleanliness the absence of shine.  

It is truly fascinating what these wooly bunnies can contribute to mankind. In the absence of sheep, they make great alternatives to keeping warm during the cold seasons, don’t you think?