Rabbit Breed Profiles: The Harlequin

While they were originally known as the Japanese rabbit, the Harlequin actually originated in France, during the 1800s. It was then that wild rabbits were crossed with Tortoiseshell colored Dutch rabbits, producing strangely marked Dutch-like rabbits. As the breedings continued and were refined further, it became apparent that something unusual was appearing in the markings. This would give birth to the Royal Jester of the rabbit world - perhaps one of the most difficult rabbits to breed, but also one of the most rewarding.

The Harlequin Rabbit Markings

The Harlequin rabbit is considered to be one of the most challenging breeds of rabbits to get into, out there in the rabbit world, simply because it's very difficult to get the markings correct on this breed. Indeed, breeding Harlequin rabbits is not only a good portion of good genetics, but a lot of luck as well. When you do breed a nice Harlequin, however, there is such a rush of excitement and a feeling of accomplishment that it's definitely worth the time and effort!

Starting at the top - for simplicities' sake, we will refer to the two colors of the Harlequin rabbit as the "base" color and the "marking" color - on a properly marked Harlequin, you will find an ear of each color; one that is based color and one that is the marking color. Moving down to his face, an ideal Harlequin will look as if someone literally drew a line down the center of his forehead, clear down to the tip of his nose, dividing his face into the two colors. Mind you, these two colors should be opposite colors from his ears (so if his left ear is chocolate and the right is orange, then the left side of his face will be orange and the right side will be chocolate). This color extends out onto the rabbit's cheeks and then stops.

Once again alternating between the base and marked colors, the Harlequin rabbit's chest will then be divided down the center, with the half of the chest, shoulder and front leg being the opposite color from what the above face is colored. So if he has the base color orange on the left side of his face, the left side of his chest and left front leg will be chocolate colored. Then, of course, the hind legs should also be opposite of the front legs. Yes, it can be very confusing!

If you look at a Harlequin (or Harlie) from the side, you should be able to make out between 5-7 clearly defined stripes or patches of color, alternating between the base and marked colors. It's said that these patches should look like the rays of the rising sun (hence why they were once called the Japanese, though their names were changed after WWII). If you look down on the harlequin's back, from above, he will either appear to be striped, checkerboard-patterned, or an even combination of the two. With all of these markings, the color should be as pure as possible, with little or no brindling of the two colors, and the dividing lines should be very crisp and straight, resembling a jester's costume in appearance.

The Harlequin Rabbit Description

So now that you have a basic idea on the pattern of a Harlequin, we'll move on to discuss the colors and varieties that Harlequin rabbits can be found in, as well as their body type and we'll touch on the breed versus variety aspect, which often confuses people, but hopefully won't by the end of this segment!

Colors: Harlequins can be found in two distinct varieties - the Japanese and the Magpie. The Japanese always have a base color of orange and can be found with the marking colors of black, blue, chocolate and the dove-gray shade, known as lilac. The Magpies, on the other hand, come with the same marking colors, but their base color is always white. Black Magpie Harlequin rabbits are a personal favorite, as they tend to resemble cartoon zebras, when viewed from the side. I like to call them jailbird bunnies as they look like they are wearing the old-fashioned black and white convict uniforms.

Body Type: While they have been bred for meat in the past (particularly during times of war), the Harlequin is primarily a fancy rabbit, bred for exhibition and the sheer challenge of breeding them. Nevertheless, he is said to have a commercial body type, even if he is not overly large or fast-developing. A mature Harlequin should weigh between 6.8 and 9.8 pounds as a senior, being well-rounded and with a medium bone structure. The Harlequin's head sits well on his shoulders and the back should been seen to arch in a gentle curve, up over well-developed hindquarters.

Breed vs. Variety: What often confuses people is that the Harlequin rabbit is not only its own breed, but it has been crossed into some other popular breeds, such as the Mini Lop, to produce the Harlequin variety within these other breeds. In these cases, the breed types for these different varieties should match the breed type for those rabbits. The Harlequin rabbit is its own separate breed, with its own Standard of Perfection.

Is a Harlequin Rabbit Right for You?

Harlequin rabbits can make excellent pets and, if that's what you're looking for, you may have found the perfect bunny to hold and snuggle. Breeding perfect Harlequins, however, is a challenge and should never be undertaken without careful thought and consideration. In order to breed Harlequin rabbits for exhibition, you have to be both persistent and patient. It can be very frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding for the right person.

Sources:

The American Rabbit Breeder's Association (A.R.B.A.)
The American Harlequin Rabbit Club (A.H.R.C)
Was also a rabbit breeder for many years.