When crossing two Himalayan rabbits at higher temperatures, what was the expected result?

To understand the result of crossing Himalayan rabbits at higher temperatures, it’s important to consider the genetics behind the Himalayan coat color. Himalayan rabbits have a unique temperature-sensitive allele that leads to their characteristic color pattern — darker fur on cooler areas of the body, such as the extremities, while the rest of the body remains white or very light (albino) due to a temperature-sensitive enzyme affecting melanin production.

At higher temperatures, the temperature-sensitive enzyme required for the production of pigment is less active, causing the majority of the rabbit’s body to express the albino trait. Therefore, when two Himalayan rabbits are crossed under these warmer conditions, the expected result is that they will not produce the typical Himalayan pattern. Instead, they will predominantly produce albino bunnies since the high temperatures suppress the pigmentation that would otherwise result in the Himalayan coloration.

Thus, the expected outcome of such a cross at higher temperatures is indeed all albino bunnies, as the environmental condition affects their genetic expression.