So today’s photograph is of a cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus). Seeing these guys in the morning now means that spring is here and summer is around the corner. I will now hopefully be seeing this one (or another) at least two to three days a week as I walk to catch the morning bus.

I spied a cottontail rabbit on my way to the bus stop this morning.

So what are some facts about the cottontail rabbit?

The eastern cottontail rabbit is the most common species of cottontail rabbits and is found throughout North and South America (though within the US—it’s found from the east coast to the great plains—hence the name eastern cottontail).

They like to be on the edge of open areas—so they can be found at the edge of fields, farms, meadows, parks—areas that can also back up to wooded areas to hide.

They’re herbivores—so they eat grasses and if they can get into gardens—they’ll munch on peas, lettuce, and herbs. During the winter months they’ll eat bark, twigs, and buds.

Rabbits tend to breed three to four times a year (as only about fifteen percent of the young survive their first year), and the young are self-sufficient within a month (which is about one to two months before they reach sexual maturity). The populations of cottontails can grow quite quickly depending on the number of initial rabbits in the area.

References:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/e/eastern-cottontail-rabbit/