- Eastern Cottontail
Taxobox
name = Eastern CottontailMSW3 Hoffmann | pages = 209-210]
status = LR/lc
status_system = iucn2.3
status_ref = IUCN2006 | assessors = Lagomorph Specialist Group | year = 1996 | id = 41299 | title = Sylvilagus floridanus | downloaded =2006-05-12 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern]
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
ordo =Lagomorpha
familia =Leporidae
genus = "Sylvilagus"
species = "S. floridanus"
binomial = "Sylvilagus floridanus"
binomial_authority = (J. A. Allen, 1890)
range_
The Eastern Cottontail ("Sylvilagus floridanus") is a
New World cottontail rabbit , a member of the familyLeporidae . It is one of the most common rabbit species inNorth America .Description
The Eastern Cottontail is chunky red-brown or gray-brown in appearance with large hind feet, long ears and a short fluffy white tail. Its underside fur is white. There is a rusty patch on the tail.
Its appearance differs from that of a
hare in that it has a brownish-gray coloring around the head and neck. The body is lighter color with a white underside on the tail. It has large brown eyes and large ears to see and listen for danger. In winter the cottontail'spelage is more gray than brown. The kittens develop the same coloring after a few weeks, but they also have a white blaze that goes down their forehead; this marking eventually disappears. The average adult weighs about 2-4 pounds; however the female tends to be heavier. [Elder, William H.; Lyle K. Sowls. (June, 1942) Body Weight and Sex Ratio of Cottontail Rabbits. The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 203-207]Range
The Eastern Cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and southwestern
United States , southernCanada , easternMexico ,Central America and northernmostSouth America . It is abundant in Midwest North America, and has been found in New Mexico and Arizona. Its range expanded north as forests were cleared by settlers. Originally, it was not found inNew England , but it has been introduced there and now competes for habitat there with the nativeNew England Cottontail .Diet
The Eastern Cottontail eats green vegetation such as grasses and clover in summer and bark, buds and twigs in winter. Its diet includes grasses, fruits, and vegetables in the spring and summer, and twigs, bark, dogwoods and maple trees in the winter. This animal is active at night; it does not hibernate in winter. Predators include hawks,
owl s,coyote s,wolves ,mustelid s andlynx . People also hunt it for food in many parts of its range; its fur is also used for clothing.On
farm s and ingarden s, the Eastern Cottontail is usually considered a pest and is often trapped or shot to protectplant s.Reproduction
Mating occurs from February to September. Males will mate with more than one female. Female rabbits have 2 to 4 large litters of up to 9 young, called kits or kittens, in a year. The female builds a nest in the ground lined with grass and fur. After the female has given birth to her offspring, she can mate again immediately thereafter. The kittens are weaned after 3 weeks and leave the nest after seven weeks. The kittens then reach mating age after three months.
Hunting and predation prevent the rabbit population from growing out of control. About 20-25% of the young rabbits live in a year and 85% of adults or young are killed every year by predators (including humans).
Behavior
The Eastern Cottontail is a very territorial animal. It is nocturnal and is also active during early dawn and late dusk. When running, it can jump from 15 feet, which can aid in avoiding predators. When chased, it runs in a zigzag pattern so the animal chasing it will lose its scent and so the rabbit is harder to follow. It can run up to 18 miles per hour. The cottontail prefers an area where it can hide quickly but be out in the open. Forests, swamps, thickets, bushes or open areas where it can dig a burrow are optimal habitation sites for this species.
Classification
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