mating season

Question
why do the mate in the summer/spring?

Answer
Dear Jennifer,

Rabbits in the wild breed primarily in the spring and summer because the light period triggers hormones that start the cascade of sexual behaviors.  (That would be the immediate, or proximal cause.)

Evolutionarily speaking, rabbits (and most other temperate mammals) breed in the spring and summer because the babies have a better chance of survival in the mild weather than if they were born later, and had to face a tough winter when they were still very small and not as able to take care of themselves.  Litters born in the fall don't stand as great a chance of success as those born earlier in the year, so natural selection has driven mating season to be in the spring and summer.

Hope this helps.

Dana