Cottontail Rabbit
Description:
The cottontail rabbit is a long-eared, small to medium sized mammal of the family Leporidae. It hops when running, because its hind legs are longer than its front legs. The fur is brownish above and white below. It has a conspicuous two-inch-diameter white tail, and some individuals have a small white blaze on the forehead. Cottontails are 15-18 inches long and weigh two to three pounds, with females slightly heavier than males.
Habitat:
Cottontails prefer open spaces with low ground cover of shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Rabbits seldom dig dens, preferring to occupy abandoned burrows, briar patches, and brush piles which are needed for escape and cover. An individual rarely leaves its home territory, where it knows food sources, cover and escape routes thoroughly.
Diet:
Succulent plants and dew provide the daily requirements for water. Although open water may be readily used, it is not a necessary element of their habitat. Cottontails consume a large variety of forest, forbs, grasses, shrubs, pasture, and agricultural plants such as dandelion dogwood, bark, fruit, seeds, and buds.
Interesting Facts:
A rabbit possesses sharp hearing and a keen sense of smell. Their eyes are set well back on the sides of its head, providing a wide field of vision. They are basically nocturnal, feeding in the evening, at night and early morning. Rabbits rely on a burst of speed and a zigzagging running pattern to evade predators, but they cannot run steadily for long distances. The cottontail always runs away from an enemy in a path that makes a big circle back to the spot where it started running. They can swim if they have to. Only one in four rabbits is lucky enough to live over a year.
