Blanc de Hotot
A white rabbit with black spectacle-like eye bands.
The Blanc de Hotot is a medium-sized rabbit breed from France, distinguished by its pure white coat and black rings around each eye. It was developed in the early 1900s and is now considered globally endangered, with a threatened status from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Hotot-en-Auge, Normandy, France
- Developer
- Eugénie Bernhard
- Year of development
- Around 1902 to 1912
- Breed recognition
- 1922 in France; 1979 in the United States
- Weight (bucks)
- 8 to 10 lb / 4.54 kg
- Weight (does)
- 9 to 11 lb / 4.99 kg
- Conservation status
- Threatened (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy)
Facts from the source article.
Characteristics
The Blanc de Hotot is always white, with black bands around the eyes that by breed standard should be no more than 1/16 to 1/8 inch wide, giving the appearance of fine spectacles. The body is compact, thickset, and somewhat rounded, with a wide chest, short neck, and well-muscled fore- and hind-quarters. Does may have dewlaps, but these are penalized in bucks. The fur has many guard hairs, creating a frost-like sheen. Bucks weigh 8 to 10 pounds and does 9 to 11 pounds. The breed is active and hardy.
History
Eugénie Bernhard developed the Blanc de Hotot in Hotot-en-Auge, Normandy, France, crossing Vienna White and Checkered Giant rabbits with white Flemish Giants around 1902. By 1912 she had produced the first recognized Blanc de Hotot. A member of the breed first appeared at the Exposition Internationale d'Aviculture in Paris in 1920, and the breed was officially recognized in 1922. Exports to the United States began in 1921 and 1922, but the breed was not popular there and died out. In 1927, exports to Switzerland began, where the breed became very popular. In 1930, German breeder Frederick Joppich started raising them and became known as the breed's greatest supporter. World War II caused major population declines, nearly leading to extinction in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Joppich and many of his rabbits remained in East Germany after the war, but a fellow breeder spread the rabbits throughout West Germany in the 1960s. By 1970, 62 Blanc de Hotots were registered at a major show in Stuttgart. Re-exports to the United States began in 1978, and the first US show appearance was at the New Mexico State Fair in September of that year. The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognized the breed in 1979. In the US, crosses with White Beverens, White New Zealands, and White Satins have been used to increase the gene pool. Additional imports from Germany, the Netherlands, and England occurred in 2004. The breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council and the American Rabbit Breeders Association, and in Britain it is grouped with other rare breeds in the Rare Varieties Club. The US breeder association is Hotot Rabbit Breeders International.
More in Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
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