Rabbits are
small hopping mammals. North America harbors more than half the
population. Families include bucks, does, and kits (bunnies); habitats
vary from deserts, to wetlands, to suburbs.
Though
they are related, hares are usually bigger overall. Baby hares
(leverets) are precocial—born with fur, eyes opened, and capable of
movement; however, kits are born altricial—with little or no hair, eyes
closed, and helpless.
Ubiquitous
defines the eastern cottontail which reaches reproductive maturity at
2-3 months. It breeds nearly year round in Florida, but mainly from
February through September. A nest is dug into a cup-size depression
lined with fur and grass, even in an open yard. Gestation endures 26-30
days, producing 3-4 litters yearly with 4-7 kits. Kit mortality is at
least 1 in 3 (nest flooding a factor). After birthing, breeding
immediately resumes. In the wild, lifespan is 3 years.
This
rabbit frequents edges offering cover and does not burrow. It is most
active at dawn and dusk—crepuscular. It consumes green
vegetation—herbivorous. In the winter, nourishment consists of buds,
twigs, and bark. Chisel-like incisors neatly clip plants.
Incidentally, deer damage is ragged.
Nature
accommodates survival. Brown or gray fur provides camouflage.
Advantageous are long ears and fine vision. Thumping forewarns danger.
Tails are helpful. For example, when the eastern cottontail is
pursued, its short and fluffy white tail becomes the focal point of the
predator, such as a hawk or dog. During the chase, the rabbit zigzags
and the perplexed aggressor has to refocus on its prey. This rabbit can
flee at 18 miles per hour. If apprehended, it kicks its powerful,
large hind legs, applies its sharp claws, and bites.
In
Florida, another species is the marsh rabbit, an able swimmer. The
Lower Keys marsh rabbit, a subspecies, is labeled the “playboy bunny”
because the Playboy Foundation partly funded its research. The
black-tailed jackrabbit, an introduced desert species, is actually a
hare. It displays characteristic long black-tipped ears. Selected in
the 1930-40 decades to train greyhounds in the Miami area, it still
thrives particularly around Miami International Airport.
The
invasive, burrowing European rabbits, are widely domesticated for pets,
meat, and fur in a variety of colors and patterns. They were
extensively kept in ancient Rome. The rex (named after the rex gene),
from France, has velvet-like fur. The Angora, from Turkey, is raised
for yarn. The Florida white (with albino red eyes) is popular for
show. The Belgian hare is a rabbit bred to resemble a hare. Hares are
not domesticated.
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| Eastern Cottontail - photo Brett Pigon |
Jumping Bunnies!!!
Haiku by Hailey R. Scalia, 9
Hip hop bunny flop
Hip hop bunny flop
Out at morning out at dusk
Goodbye fluffy tail!
