Eastern Cottontail

Here's an Eastern Cottontail I met at Duke Farms. This is the most common rabbit species on the continent. Though you can frequently see them during the day, this rabbit is considered a crepuscular feeder.

And they breed ... like rabbits! They won't typically breed in the winter, but in warmer regions a female can have 7 litters in a year with up to 12 kits in a litter. Though this potentially means 84 children per year, it sounds like 15-20 is more of the average. Even this would mean vast numbers of rabbits around; obviously being a rabbit means a pretty high mortality rate. This is probably due to predators like foxes, coyotes, hawks, and owls, though I'm sure automobiles are also a factor.





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