Question about rabbit holes.

Have a friend with a crew of mostly female rabbits on an urban property. We were observing their habit of digging very deep holes near fencelines and walls. But they often refill the holes within a few weeks.
Does anyone have an explanation for this?
Just curious what instinct causes them to do this?

Stay well all 🕶

Housing, shelter, escape hatches, temperature control, foraging for roots... Rabbits are prey, so burrowing to hide and stay safe while they sleep, and burrowing from one location to another, provides a secret way to escape from predators. They also find yummy roots to nibble. They're also critters with a high metabolism, and especially in summer, can overheat easily. Burrowing into the soil gives them a reprieve from the heat.

Carla Burke wrote:Housing, shelter, escape hatches, temperature control, foraging for roots... Rabbits are prey, so burrowing to hide and stay safe while they sleep, and burrowing from one location to another, provides a secret way to escape from predators. They also find yummy roots to nibble. They're also critters with a high metabolism, and especially in summer, can overheat easily. Burrowing into the soil gives them a reprieve from the heat.

That all makes sense, but I’m wondering why they refill the holes?

Nicholas Roberts wrote:

Carla Burke wrote:Housing, shelter, escape hatches, temperature control, foraging for roots... Rabbits are prey, so burrowing to hide and stay safe while they sleep, and burrowing from one location to another, provides a secret way to escape from predators. They also find yummy roots to nibble. They're also critters with a high metabolism, and especially in summer, can overheat easily. Burrowing into the soil gives them a reprieve from the heat.

That all makes sense, but I’m wondering why they refill the holes?

I'd imagine - and this is purely conjecture - it may be about disguising those same escapes, when they're away, to keep those same predators away from their hideouts.

Carla Burke wrote:

Nicholas Roberts wrote:

Carla Burke wrote:Housing, shelter, escape hatches, temperature control, foraging for roots... Rabbits are prey, so burrowing to hide and stay safe while they sleep, and burrowing from one location to another, provides a secret way to escape from predators. They also find yummy roots to nibble. They're also critters with a high metabolism, and especially in summer, can overheat easily. Burrowing into the soil gives them a reprieve from the heat.

That all makes sense, but I’m wondering why they refill the holes?

I'd imagine - and this is purely conjecture - it may be about disguising those same escapes, when they're away, to keep those same predators away from their hideouts.

That would seem accurate. I’ve noticed they do revisit old holes.
The one I’ve been watching took full advantage of the rain today and dug far enough to fit herself under the surface... and she weathered the rest of the rainstorm there. Was quite ingenious of her : )