Detailed profile of this breed: origin, year of creation, recognised varieties and official approvals.
Breed summary
The Angora rabbit is a group of long-haired domestic rabbits bred primarily for their fine, dense wool rather than meat or meat-and-fur production. Qualitatively, Angoras are noted for a profuse, soft undercoat that gives a silky, lofty fiber prized in textile blending. They are generally calm to docile in temperament but demand intensive coat care to avoid matting and health problems. Quantitatively, adult individuals across recognized Angora varieties typically fall roughly in the 2–7 kg live-weight range (small to giant types); coat fibers commonly reach lengths measured in centimeters (growth varies by variety and season), and a single rabbit may produce on the order of a few hundred grams to several hundred grams of fiber per year depending on breed and management.
Detailed origin
Qualitatively, the name and origin trace to the historical region of Angora (modern Ankara, Turkey), where long-haired rabbits were kept and their wool traded in antiquity and the early modern period. European interest grew in the 18th and 19th centuries after animals were exported from Turkey; breeders in France, England, Germany and later the United States selected for different coat types and body sizes, producing distinct standardized strains. Quantitatively, the export and formal development accelerated in the 1700s–1800s; by the 19th and early 20th centuries several principal types had been established (commonly cited varieties include English, French, German, Satin and Giant Angora).
Detailed description
Qualitatively, Angora coats consist of a dense underwool plus longer guard fibers; the wool is finer and more elastic than most rabbit outercoats, which gives it exceptional loft and softness but also a propensity to felt and mat. Husbandry requires frequent handling: regular combing and removal of loose fiber, plus scheduled fiber harvest by plucking or shearing. Quantitatively, harvesting is typically performed every 2–4 months (3–6 times per year depending on method), producing approximately a few hundred grams up to ~700–900 g fiber annually in larger strains under good management; coat growth rates commonly measure in millimeters to a couple centimeters per month depending on variety, nutrition and season. Lifespan under good care is often in the 5–10 year range, and ideal body weights vary by type as noted above.