Cottontail Rabbits

Cottontail Rabbits - Introduction and Distribution

Picture source: Museum of Vertebrate Zoology © 2003 The Regents of the University of California

There are three types of Cottontail rabbits. These are Mountain Cottontail, Eastern Cottontail and Desert Cottontail. Mountain Cottontails are smaller in size. They live high in the uplands. Desert Cottontails are the most widespread; they can be found in every suitable region. East Cottontails are bigger than the other two. It is interesting that Cottontails can be found, not only in the suburbs, but in towns and cities as well.

It is very important for future farmers to be able to identify the presence of Cottontails because they can be a real problem regarding propagation. In those places populated by the Cottontail rabbit, vegetation is a sort of neatly trimmed about 25 inches from the snowline. Clusters of spherical droppings also signify their presence.

The Cottontail resides in hollows and depressions in the ground, called 'forms'. They dig them out using sharp and strong claws. Rabbits prepare their forms for calmer and safer living. They gather twigs, branches and grass and pile them around the form and they build roofing. Females make a layer of their own fur to keep the young warm. Cottontails don't live in warrens, like European rabbits.