Most of the bunnies found on Easter Island (near the equator) are brown. A scientist visiting this island observed a few white bunnies amongst this population. What is the most likely explanation for the appearance of the white phenotype in this population?

Question

Most of the bunnies found on Easter Island (near the equator) are brown. A scientist visiting this island observed a few white bunnies amongst this population. What is the most likely explanation for the appearance of the white phenotype in this population?

The weather got colder and a freak snowstorm happened last winter causing the bunnies to evolve.
These bunnies thought it was too hot in the sun and they adapted to have light fur in order to stay cooler.
A genetic mutation occurred in one of the bunnies causing it to be more fit for its environment, allowing it to reproduce and pass that mutation onto its offspring.
The bunnies started eating a lot of white flowers.

Answer 1

The most likely explanation for the appearance of the white phenotype in this population is that a genetic mutation occurred in one of the bunnies, causing it to be more fit for its environment. This mutation would have allowed the white bunny to have a survival advantage, potentially making it harder for predators to spot it against the brown background. Over time, this trait could have been passed on to its offspring, resulting in more white bunnies in the population.