Competition, predation, and diseases are key factors shaping animal communities. In recent decades, lagomorphs in Europe have been impacted by virus-borne diseases that have caused substantial declines in their populations and, subsequently, in many of their predators. We examined activity and habitat-use patterns of sympatric European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in Doñana National Park, during two periods of disease outbreak.

The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) is a widely distributed endemic species in the Iberian Peninsula. To im¬prove knowledge of its population dynamics, the relative abundance and population trends of the Iberian hare were studied in the autumns of 1995–2012 in a protected area (Doñana National Park) by spotlighting in 2 different habitats: marshland and ecotones.