From Elite Symbol to Ecological Burden: How Pandemic‑Driven Shifts Turned Medieval Rabbit Luxury into a Widespread Invasive Species

Historical parallels include the Roman introduction of rabbits to Britain for game, which later faded, and the post‑plague proliferation of black rats and lice as disease vectors exploited altered human settlements. Similar luxury‑to‑commodity shifts occurred with spices after the Black Death, when labor shortages lowered prices and broadened access. These patterns show that pandemics repeatedly reset economic valuations of animals and goods.