Worcester, UK - Rabbits are some of the cutest and sweetest animals in the world, but they're hardly known for their size. What is the biggest rabbit in the world, how big is it, and what breed takes the ticket?

These small little rodents may have huge personalities, but they have tiny bodies to boot.

With big ears and small eyes, big smiles, and tiny noses, these furry fellows make unbelievably sweet pets. What if we told you that these cute little dudes could grow as big as a cat?

This rabbit holds the animal world record for being the biggest in the world. He was a huge dude, bulky and full of brawn, and legend has it that a single glance from him could turn anyone into a ball of nerves.

The biggest rabbit in the world was a giant hopping legend called Darius. Rewarded for his enormous size by Guinness World Records back in 2010, this huge bunny was owned by Annette Edwards, a UK citizen who was proud of her pet rabbit right up until the end.

Interestingly, Annette's giant bunny rabbit, Darius, was discovered when the Daily Mail wrote an article about him back on April 6, 2010. His remarkable size and weight quickly made waves, rapidly garnering the attention of Guinness World Records and getting him the much-coveted award.

Darius was adopted when he was still tiny, a little bunny that no one could have imagined would turn out to be so extraordinarily huge. Still, Annette Edwards could surely have had some level of suspicion that he'd be chunkier than the norm because he was a Flemish giant rabbit.

During his life, Darius lived in a specially-made cage. Designed to accommodate the needs of his extraordinary size, he was allowed to move around freely. Sadly, the freedom that he had to go in and out of the house and not be restrained within his cage is also the reason for his tragic demise.

One morning, Annette got up and paid a visit to her beloved Darius. Sadly, he had disappeared, and there were no traces or evidence to suggest his fate. It is thought that he was stolen, but quite sadly, this is a mystery that will likely never be solved.

Darius was (or maybe still is) about 4 feet and inches long and weighed about 49 pounds. He was a big fan of big meals, loved to hop around and do his own thing, and was a beloved member of Annette Edwards' family. The fact that he was also the world's biggest rabbit barely mattered at all in his life, except for the fact that his immense size likely came with its challenges.

After his tragic disappearance in 2021, Annette Edwards offered a £1,000 (approx. $1200) reward and made a plea for his safe return. The loss was a blow for her and a sad event in her decades-long rabbit breeding career. Even more tragically, Darius was never returned.

"A very sad day," she shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Guinness World record holder Darius has been stolen from his home. The police are doing their best to find out who has taken him. There is a reward of £1,000. Darius is too old to breed now, so please bring him back."

The biggest breed of rabbit is the same breed as Darius, the Flemish giant rabbit. Originating from (as its name suggests) Flanders in Belgium, these huge rabbits are descendants of massive bunny breeds that were bred for their meat and fur. Nowadays, though, they are generally only kept as pets.

Enormous and incredibly fluffy, Flemish giant rabbits average out at around 13–15 pounds and often sit about 4 feet in body length. They are incredibly docile, tolerant, and friendly towards humans, making them safe and loving pets that are even safe to keep around small children.

These huge bunnies can reach the size of a relatively big domestic cat or a medium-sized dog. They are heavy, sweet, adorable, and just some of the most wonderful hoppers to lumber around our backyards.

Is there anything cuter than a rotund rabbit? These giant dudes are fluffy, full of smiles, and endlessly happy. When adopted, they make gorgeous and friendly family members, great with young kids, and perfectly safe (unlike dogs and cats, which can be dangerous in some situations). While even a small rabbit is a great pet, there's something especially special about a big rabbit.

Yet Darius was a master of all, bigger than every other rabbit relative, gorgeous, and sweeter than the rest of his species combined. It's a shame that he has disappeared; he leaves a large rabbit-shaped hole in our collective hearts.