NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Eastern Cottontail

The Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Rabbit Source: Image taken by Dori License: PD This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Dori. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass â€ Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass â€ Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct) The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... Type species Lepus sylvaticus Bachman, 1837 (=Lepus sylvaticus floridanus J. Allen, 1890) Species 16, see text The cottontail rabbits are the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas. ... Latin name redirects here. ... Joel Asaph Allen (July 19, 1838 - August 29, 1921) was an American zoologist and ornithologist. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Type species Lepus sylvaticus Bachman, 1837 (=Lepus sylvaticus floridanus J. Allen, 1890) Species 16, see text The cottontail rabbits are the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... North American redirects here. ...

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's pelage 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.^[3] For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... In mammals, pelage is the hair, fur, or wool that covers the animal. ...

Range

The Eastern Cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and southwestern United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America and northernmost South 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 in New England, but it has been introduced there and now competes for habitat there with the native New England Cottontail. For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Geographic Range Sylvilagus transitionalis is widespread throughout much of eastern North America, ranging from southern Maine to southeastern Alabama. ...

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, owls, coyotes, wolves, mustelids and lynx. People also hunt it for food in many parts of its range; its fur is also used for clothing. This article refers to the process of hibernation in biology. ... Subfamilies Elaninae Perninae Milvinae Accipitrinae Buteoninae Aegypiinae Circinae Circaetinae The Accipitridae is one of the two main families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey). ... For other uses, see Owl (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Coyote (disambiguation). ... Wolves may refer to: Gray Wolf Other uses of Wolf: see Wolf (disambiguation) Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Category: ... Subfamilies Lutrinae Melinae Mellivorinae Taxidiinae Mustelinae Mustelidae is a family of carnivorous mammals. ... For other uses, see Lynx (disambiguation). ...

On farms and in gardens, the Eastern Cottontail is usually considered a pest and is often trapped or shot to protect plants. For other uses, see Farm (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Garden (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ...

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 10-15 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 15mph. 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

References

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct) The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... Binomial name Howell, 1928 Synonyms Ochotona helanshanensis Zheng, 1987 (found in Wang 1990) Ochotona pallasi ssp. ... The collared pika is small (~160 gram) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulderfields in northern British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska, and western Northwest territiories. ... Binomial name Ochotona hyperborea Pallas, 1811 The Northern Pika, Ochotona hyperborea, is a species of pika found across northern Asia, from the Ural Mountains to northern Japan and south through Mongolia, Manchuria, and northern Korea. ... Binomial name Ochotona princeps The American pika is an diurnal species of pika that is found in the mountains of western North America, usually in boulder fields at or above tree line. ... Binomial name Thomas, 1923 The Forrests Pika (Ochotona forresti) is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae family. ... Binomial name (Buchner, 1894) The Koslovs Pika or Kozlovs Pika (Ochotona koslowi) is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae family. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ... Binomial name Pentalagus furnessi (Stone, 1900) The Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), or Amami no Kuro Usagi (å¥„ç¾Žã®é»’å…”/ã‚¢ãƒžãƒŸãƒŽã‚¯ãƒã‚¦ã‚µã‚®), also known as the Ryukyu Rabbit, is a primitive dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Oshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyushu and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture... Binomial name Pentalagus furnessi (Stone, 1900) The Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi), or Amami no Kuro Usagi (å¥„ç¾Žã®é»’å…”/ã‚¢ãƒžãƒŸãƒŽã‚¯ãƒã‚¦ã‚µã‚®), also known as the Ryukyu Rabbit, is a primitive dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Oshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyushu and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture... Binomial name Bunolagus monticularis (Thomas, 1903) The Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis), also known as the Bushman Rabbit or Bushman Hare is a species of rabbit and one of the rarest mammals in the world. ... Binomial name Bunolagus monticularis (Thomas, 1903) The Riverine Rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis), also known as the Bushman Rabbit or Bushman Hare is a species of rabbit and one of the rarest mammals in the world. ... Binomial name (Schlegel, 1880) The Sumatran Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri), also known as the Sumatra Short-eared Rabbit or Sumatran Rabbit, is a rabbit found only in forest in the Barisan Mountains in western Sumatra, Indonesia. ... Binomial name Nesolagus timminsi (Averianov, Abramov, & Tikhonov, 2000 ) The Annamite Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) is a species of rabbit native to the Annamite mountain range on the Laos-Vietnam border. ... Binomial name Romerolagus diazi (Ferrari-PÃ©rez, 1893) The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. ... Binomial name Romerolagus diazi (Ferrari-PÃ©rez, 1893) The Volcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. ... Binomial name Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. ... Binomial name Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. ... Type species Lepus sylvaticus Bachman, 1837 (=Lepus sylvaticus floridanus J. Allen, 1890) Species 16, see text The cottontail rabbits are the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus aquaticus (Bachman, 1837) The Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), also known as the Brazilian Rabbit or Forest Rabbit, is a cottontail rabbit species found in Central and South America. ... Binomial name Harris, 1932 The Dices Cottontail (Sylvilagus dicei) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus insonus (Nelson, 1904) The Omilteme Cottontail or Omiltemi Rabbit (Sylvilagus insonus) is a cottontail rabbit found only in Sierra Madre del Sur in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, although it hasnt be recorded since the early 1960s. ... Binomial name (Bachman, 1837) The Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) is a cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States. ... Binomial name Sylvilagus audubonii (Baird, 1858) The Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. ... nestor This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Binomial name (J.A. Allen, 1877) The Tres Marias Cottontail or Tres Marias Rabbit (Sylvilagus graysoni) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Bachman, 1837) The Mountain Cottontail or Nuttalls Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Chapman, Cramer, Dippenaar, & Robinson, 1992 The Appalachian Cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Waterhouse, 1839) The Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), or Western Brush Rabbit, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. ... Binomial name Nelson, 1907 The San Jose Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus mansuetus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Range map The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Range map The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a species of rabbit native to southern Europe. ... Pronolagus is a genus of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Caprolagus hispidus (Pearson, 1839) The Hispid Hare, Caprolagus hispidus, is a leporid native to the foothills of the Himalaya. ... Binomial name Caprolagus hispidus (Pearson, 1839) The Hispid Hare, Caprolagus hispidus, is a leporid native to the foothills of the Himalaya. ... For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... // Geographic Range The antelope jackrabbit is found primarily in the southwest United States and is most densely populated in the state of Arizona. ... Binomial name Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777 The Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) is a species of hare found in North America. ... Binomial name Lepus timidus Linnaeus, 1758 The Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. ... Binomial name Merriam, 1900 The Alaskan Hare (Lepus othus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus timidus Linnaeus, 1758 The Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. ... Binomial name Lepus californicus Gray, 1837 The Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), aso known as the Desert Hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, found at elevations from sea level to up to 3000 m. ... ... Binomial name Lepus capensis L., 1758 The Cape, Common or Brown Hare (Lepus capensis) is a hare natively found throughout Africa, and has spread to many parts of the Europe, Middle East and Asia, and was introduced to Australia. ... [[{{{diversity_link}}}|Diversity]] {{{diversity}}} Binomial name Lepus flavigularis Trinomial name {{{trinomial}}} Type Species {{{type_species}}} {{{subdivision_ranks}}} [[Image:{{{range_map}}}|{{{range_map_width}}}|]] Synonyms {{{synonyms}}} The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (Lepus flavigularis) is easily distinguished from other species of jackrabbits by two black stripes that run from the base of the ears to the nape, and by their... Binomial name W. Bryant, 1891 The Black Jackrabbit (Lepus insularis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... The Scrub Hare, lepus saxatilis, is a species of hare found in South Africa, parts of central Africa, and Namibia. ... Binomial name Palacios, 1976 The Broom Hare (Lepus castroviejoi) is a species of hare endemic to northern Spain. ... Binomial name Allen, 1927 The Yunnan Hare (Lepus comus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus coreanus Thomas, 1892 The Korean Hare (Lepus coreanus) is a species of hare found in Korea and northeastern China. ... Binomial name Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 The European Hare or Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) is a species of hare native to northern, central, and western Europe and western Asia. ... Binomial name Lepus granatensis Rosenhauer, 1856 The Granada Hare (Lepus granatensis), also known as the Iberian Hare, is a hare species that can be found on the Iberian peninsula and on the island of Mallorca. ... Binomial name Lepus mandschuricus Radde, 1861 The Manchurian Hare (Lepus mandschuricus) is a species of hare found in northeastern China, the Amur River basin, and in the higher mountains of northern Korea. ... Binomial name Hodgson, 1840 The Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Petter, 1963 The Ethiopian Highland Hare (Lepus starcki) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus townsendii Bachman, 1839 The White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), also known as the Prairie Hare and the White Jack, is a hare found in western North America. ... Binomial name Thomas, 1903 The Ethiopian Hare (Lepus fagani) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Heuglin,1865 Synonyms Lepus victoriae Thomas, 1893 The African Savanna Hare (Lepus microtis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Lepus hainanus Swinhoe, 1870 Hainan hare (Lepus hainanus) is a species of hare endemic to Hainan Island, China. ... Binomial name Lepus nigricollis F. Cuvier, 1823 The Indian Hare (Lepus nigricollis), also known as the Black-naped Hare, is a common species of hare found in South Asia. ... Binomial name Blyth, 1855 The Burmese Hare (Lepus peguensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name Gray, 1832 The Chinese Hare (Lepus sinensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Binomial name GÃ¼nther, 1875 The Yarkand or Yarkland Hare (Lepus yarkandensis) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ... Incertae sedis—of uncertain position (seat)—is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. ... // Geographic Range The Japanese Hare is found on the continent of Asia. ... Binomial name Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1832 The Abyssinian Hare (Lepus habessinicus) is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. ...

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