Page 50 - 2019 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma

Watchable Wildlife
The Cottontail Rabbit by Justin Veach, Education Intern

O K L A H O M A’ S
Watchable Wildlife

THE COT TON TA IL R ABBIT
BY J USTI N V EACH, EDUCATION I N TERN

Among the most easily recognized species in the Breeding can start by February and will continue

Americas is the cottontail rabbit. With a reputation for through August. The average gestation period is 28 days.
being one of the most lovable critters in the animal king- The long breeding period and short gestation period can

dom, it is often used as a character in many cartoons and allow a female to produce six or more litters each year,
children stories and it is usually depicted as an adorable with up to 12 bunnies, also called kits, in a litter.

and quick animal. Cottontails are born with a fine coat of brownish
Cottontails are certainly no strangers to Oklahoma’s out- fur, with a white blaze on their forehead that will soon

doors. They can be found in any part of Oklahoma. They disappear. Bunnies begin opening their eyes after four
have brownish fur with large hind feet that help them gain days, and the litter will disperse about six weeks later.

speed to escape predators. They have white undersides and The female does not stay with the litter during the
a white stubby tail that looks like first six weeks but will usually
The cottontail’s lifespan
a cotton ball, which is where the return twice a day to nurse.
in the wild is 15 months,
name comes from. Cottontails run in a zigzag

The average weight of the with the oldest ever pattern when being chased.
cottontail rabbit is 2.6 pounds. They prefer a habitat where
recorded being 5 years old.
The cottontail’s lifespan in the cover is always nearby so they

wild is 15 months, with the oldest ever recorded being 5 can easily hide from predators. They do not dig their
years old. Predation is the cottontail’s greatest cause of own burrows but often use burrows previously made by

mortality. Just about any carnivorous critter that is bigger animals such as groundhogs
than the cottontail is a predator. Cottontails can be seen any time of the day, but they

This rabbit’s speed creates a fair challenge in hunting are most active at night. They are more likely to be
them. This has led to greater popularity of rabbit hunt- seen on dreary, rainy or foggy days than during bright

ing. The cottontail is the most commonly hunted small sunny days.
game animal in North America. The cottontail’s diet is mostly vegetarian. It will

Cool and wet summers can lead to a major uptick in eat a wide range of plants but also arthropods. When
the cottontail population, as they will continue to breed snow covers the ground, it will eat twigs and the bark

throughout summer. Harsh weather can curtail breeding. of woody plants.
48 WATCHABLE WILDLIFE

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