Efrafa

Efrafa was a large warren founded by the power-hungry and aggressive General Woundwort. It was built around the crossing point of two green bridle paths, one of which was tunnel-like, bordered on both sides by brush. Woundwort used his tireless zeal and fear to win the loyalty and control of his followers.

General Woundwort's Efrafan army as represented in the film.

Organization

Allowing no rabbit to leave, Woundwort had to form a strict system as the warren grew. Because he was advised by his Council, which was another tool to keep Efrafa under strict control, to keep the warren well hidden and small, but would not allow any of the rabbits who lived there to leave, Efrafa soon became overcrowded. Woundwort was also advised to keep separate runs and burrows, none leading to the other, to avoid spreading of infection if ever the White Blindness were to afflict the warren.

The warren was organized and deeply controlled by the use of Marks. A rabbit would be scarred on different parts of the body that told where they stayed in the warren, with whom they could associate, and when they could silflay. For example, a rabbit with a scar on its left back leg would stay in the Near Hind Mark, etc. The Marks were created to keep the number of rabbits above ground smaller to avoid being noticed. Only a certain Mark was allowed above ground to silflay at a given time and the schedule rotated, so that every rabbit got a share of the favored feeding times.

With the Council tightly suppressing all expansion of the warren, General Woundwort organized Wide Patrols, which are unique to Efrafa and were used as an outlet for his desire for power. First led only by Woundwort, he led a group of rabbits to go out and find trouble. They were soon led by trusted officers of the Owsla and sent out to find rabbits to capture and force to join or warrens to conquer. As dangerous as the patrols were, they served the purpose of keeping the numbers down due to high casualties.

Another unique idea of Woundwort's was the Owslafa, a sort of police squad organized by Woundwort as a means of more control.

Eventual Fate

After the Watership Down rabbits hatched and executed a plan to steal does from Efrafa which ultimately ended in the defeat of General Woundwort, Efrafa and the Watership Down Warren became close allies. Captain Campion became the new Efrafan Chief Rabbit, while Groundsel, an ex-Efrafan officer, left to become the Chief Rabbit of a new warren called Vleflain.

Efrafan characters

Central leadership

• General Woundwort - Chief Rabbit; (formerly, now deceased)
• Captain Campion - in charge of the Owsla and second-in-command to Woundwort; (formerly, became Chief Rabbit after the Battle of Watership Down, now deceased)
• Snowdrop - last survivor of leadership, current Chief Rabbit
• Vervain - in charge of the Owslafa; (formerly, now deceased)
• Bartsia (fate unknown)

Near Hind Mark

• Chervil (fate unknown)
• Avens (promoted to Captain of Owsla)
• Sentry Marjoram (fate unknown)
• Moneywort (fate unknown)
• Nelthilta (fate unknown)

Right Flank Mark

• Captain Bugloss (formerly, was fired from the Owsla)

Left Flank Mark

• Groundsel

Neck Mark

• Captain Sainfoin
• Coltsfoot

Right Fore Mark

• Mallow (formerly, now deceased)

Others

• Captain Orchis
• Charlock
• Sentry Ragwort (fate unknown)
• Sentry Thistle
• Thunder (Fate unknown)
• Bigwig (formerly, escaped in the Battle of Efrafa)
• Hyzenthlay (formerly, escaped in the Battle of Efrafa)
• Thethuthinnang (formerly, escaped in the Battle of Efrafa)
• Thrayonlosa (formerly, escapes in the Battle of Efrafa) (deceased)
• Blackavar (formerly, escaped in the Battle of Efrafa)