Eastern cottontail rabbit
The Eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a common species found throughout much of southeastern Canada, the eastern United States, and parts of Central and South America. Characterized by their large hind legs, long ears, and distinctive puffy white tails, these rabbits typically measure between 14 to 19 inches in length and weigh between 28 to 70 ounces. Their coats are light grayish-brown, providing effective camouflage in their natural habitats, which include dense brush, woodlands, and open fields.
Primarily herbivorous, Eastern cottontails consume grass and leaves, especially during warmer months, and resort to bark, twigs, and seeds in winter. They engage in unique behaviors to evade predators, such as running in a zigzag pattern to confuse their attackers. The breeding season extends from February to September, with females capable of producing multiple litters each year, though high mortality rates among young rabbits are common. As part of the ecosystem, Eastern cottontails play a significant role in the food chain, facing threats from a variety of predators, as well as challenges posed by human agricultural practices. Their lifespan averages between 3 to 5 years in the wild, though some may live longer in captivity.
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Eastern cottontail rabbit
Peter Rabbit, of the Beatrix Potter stories, was an eastern cottontail rabbit. Like many rabbits, he was often getting into trouble for eating a farmer's seeds and vegetables.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae
Genus: Sylvilagus
Species: Floridanus
Eastern cottontail rabbits have large hind legs and long ears. They have light grayish-brown coats. Eastern cottontail rabbits have a head and body length of between 14 to 19 inches (36 to 48 centimeters), with two- to three-inch (five- to eight-centimeter) ears and a one- to two-inch tail (two- to five-centimeter). They weigh 28 to 70 ounces (800 to 2000 grams). Eastern cottontail rabbits are called cottontails because they have puffy white tails that look like balls of cotton. Like all rabbits and hares, Eastern cottontail rabbits have whiskers that help them find their way around.
Eastern cottontail rabbits live in heavy brush, woodland areas near open country, farmer's fields, and along swampy edges. They are common throughout much of southeastern Canada, the midwest and eastern United States, most of eastern Central America and the northernmost tip of South America. They eat grass and leaves most of the year. During the winter, they eat bark, twigs, and seeds. For extra nutrients and vitamins, they may eat their own waste. This is common among many rabbits.
Dogs, cats, foxes, raccoons, skunks, birds of prey, and snakes prey on the eastern cottontail rabbit. They are close to the bottom of the food chain. Even those rabbits living in cold environments do not hibernate, providing animals with a year-round food source. To escape predators, they run in a zigzag pattern. The side-to-side movement confuses their attacker. They can run up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) per hour.
The breeding season for the eastern cottontail rabbit is from February through September. The gestation period (duration of pregnancy) is between 25 and 35 days. The female then gives birth to a litter of up to 12 young, though the average is 5 young, or kittens. Females usually have two to three litters a year but may have up to 7 litters in a year. As many as 90 percent may die before they are one year old.
Eastern cottontail rabbits are often killed by farmers for eating their seeds and their vegetables.
The life span of the eastern cottontail rabbit (if they survive the first 15 months) is about 3 to 5 years in the wild and 10 years in captivity.
Bibliography
"Eastern Cottontail." A-Z Animals, 11 Mar. 2023, a-z-animals.com/animals/eastern-cottontail. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.
Mikita, Kimberly. "Sylvilagus Floridanus." Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sylvilagus‗floridanus. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.