Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
To evade predators, they run in a zig-zag pattern at speeds reaching up to 18 miles per hour.
- Scientific name
- Sylvilagus floridanus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Lagomorpha › Leporidae › Sylvilagus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Fields, meadows, orchards, and brushy edge habitats between forests and open areas.
- Diet
- Herbivore; consumes grasses, clover, and sprouts in summer, switching to bark, twigs, and buds in winter.
- Range
- North America, Central America, Northern South America
- Size
- 15-19 inches in length; 2-4 lbs
- Lifespan
- 1-3 years in the wild
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, predation by hawks and foxes, and Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV2).
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and skittish. Observe from a distance of at least 10 feet to avoid causing the animal stress. If you find a nest of young, do not touch them; the mother only visits at dawn and dusk to avoid drawing predators. If bitten or scratched, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice due to the risk of tularemia.
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.
Photo: Andrew Murray, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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